Sit-reps
by Skymaster23
Summary: The continuation of Second wave. Now finished. One last cameo.
1. Lasers in the Night part 1

Sit-reps.

Disclaimer: Skymaster23 does not own the G.I. Joe franchise, and does not condone violence toward women.

* * *

Breaker enters the monitor room to switch shifts with Sparks, only to hear him cursing. "What's wrong?" He asks as he heads over.

"Just lost contact with Gung-Ho, said he heard something to his right, then i hear him yelling in surprise, then this strange sound." Sparks tells him as he looks over his shoulder.

"How many times you run it through the audio records?" Breaker asked.

"Twice; no match. I know the sound, but i just can't name it." Sparks replied. "I already called it in, so-" He starts to add when Duke shows up.

* * *

While Cobra Commander and the Baroness are walking away, the Tele-Viper he just spoke with signals the one with the captive. "Tele-Viper 57 to Tele-Viper 21, progress reported to Cobra Commander. Orders are to keep him alive for now." while his visor reads: No holes in the baldy, guys.

* * *

After the Dragonfly's land, Nurse Simmons helps Duke get "Lady-Jaye" out and onto a gurney, then gets on her walkie talkie. "Simmons to infirmary, we're on our way."

A while later, the Baroness wakes up to see Simmons facing away from her. She knows how easy it would be to execute her, how many make-shift weapons, but also that she has her orders, find the guidance system component. Since it wasn't at the electronics lab, she ordered Firefly to set his charges after they killed the staff, and to take Lady-Jaye to the base. After hearing Scarlett and that other enemy with the exact opposite of a fashion sense say something about girlfriends and enlistment, she is cleared to leave. She heads down the hall with that damnable classless redhead, but they hear Breaker alert them to an intruder.

"I vas not informed of any backup." She thinks, as she follows Duke to some room, where for a second she thinks it's a drill involving Storm Shadow's rival; one of them anyway, until she sees Duke unmask a young girl she is unfamiliar with, then hears Quick-Kick say what must be her name. "The airvent?...Children these days, no imagination." She thinks as she joins the Joes to a holding area.

* * *

Back at the Cobra base, Lady-Jaye is blindfolded, but knows there are three guards behind her, thanks to sensory training Scarlett invited her to do with Snake-Eyes, she also hears Gung-Ho, he is being interrogated. "I said where's the guidance system being kept?!" She hears from some fang face, followed by her fellow Joe's response.

"Up yer ass, next to da stick." Then she hears him grunting in pain. She then hears keys, and a door opening, and has the blindfold removed. "Lady-Jaye? Yoo do enyting to 'er, and ah'll twist all yoo scaly shits in 'alf!" Gung-Ho shouts, then gets kicked in the ribs before she is shackled next to him. "When'd they get yoo?" He asks after they hear the guards leave.

"Not sure how long; i was at the electronics lab when i hear my name, then i wake up at an airfield outside." She tells him. "Be glad you weren't there, all the techie's bodies were charred; it smelled so...ugh, lets just say it'll be a long while before i have any meat products."

* * *

At Joe headquarters.

The Baroness was going around the base for potential future reference after avoiding an M.P. who was speaking on a phone in Spanish, when she finds a door with three signs, the lower one made of cardboard with names in a different marker color: Shipwreck, Alpine, Footloose, Dusty, and Thunder. "Joe-ette?" She asks herself, then enters their quarters. "This is...not that bad looking." She thinks, as she looks around.

She sees the photo of the three posing with the formerly blond Joe's missile tank which she forgets the name of, and another of several Joes infront of the base from the Weather Dominator scheme, making her remember being tackled, took her days to get that sand out of her mouth and nostrils.

She notices some more, Lady-Jaye and Flint in front of a Skystriker.

The three women sitting on a giant carrot with 9 others, some Joes, and some of those minor soldiers of theirs, in a parody of the old girder photo.

A few sports trophies.

Another photo of them in random costumes at Hollywood, the one called Cover-Girl, in a startrek* one, raising a fist at the one called Shipwreck dressed as a trucker, while Dusty was in a Lawrence of Arabia one, Recondo was in a lab coat, Blowtorch was a ghostbuster and Mutt was in a toga.

She then is startled by a man in green overalls in the hall. "Hey there, reminiscing?" The person asks.

"Who?..." The Baroness asks before she can stop herself.

The mystery person blinks, "It's me, Josh**." He says, then seems to realize something. "You must have been hit harder then you thought back there."

"Yes, that must be it. Sorry Josh, can't stay." The Baroness says, then leaves. She makes it a dozen yards before she runs into the biggest complication.

"Finally, been looking all over for you." Flint says to her after Stalker points her out to him.

"Of all these people, it has to be this muscle bound bastard." The Baroness thinks, still remembering the island ordeal, how he was holding her down...in her swimsuit...how she felt all..."Focus, Anastasia!" She thinks again, mentally kicking herself.

"Evening there, Flint. What're you two talking about?" She asks him as she nods to Stalker. "How many of these fools go around with berets?" She thought.

"Just about the game tomorrow...Your throat okay?" He asks her while Stalker walked off.

"Yeah, just breathed some in when i was unconscious, I'll get it checked later." She tells him, hoping he'll accept and leave; no such luck.

"One more reason not to take up smoking." He said, with a shrug. "Sorry i couldn't give you those flowers in person, had too much paperwork. Anyway i can make it up to you?" He asks with pleading eyes.

She hesitates, to her dismay, before replying. "I-uh, I'll think of something, i have some stuff to do, Flint. See you later." When she gets around a corner, she stops. "I need only noble Destro's attention, why does that ruffian..." She thinks, then shakes her head.

* * *

At the Cobra base.

"Answer me woman, where did you move the laser guidance system!" A Crimson guardsman yells at Lady-Jaye while Gung-Ho is unconscious from a blow to the head.

"I don't know, but i think i saw one at Radioshack the othe-" She tells him, but he gets out this wand thing, out of which a bluish "rope" appears, and hits her with it, and she screams from the hit. Sure, she's been tortured once or twice before, but this is a new experience.

"That was only setting two, you stupid bitch. Tell us where the damn thing is, or I'll raise it to six!" The guard tells her.

* * *

At Joe HQ, the Baroness had left the commissary. "Note to self, never ask for _gumbo_ again." she thinks to herself, before she sees one of the Joes support troops, who's records are much easier to access, so she recognizes this one as Mari-something Jordan. A 31 year old from Michigan, with six years of FBI experience.

"How's the chow, Alison?" She asks.

"So, Lady-Jaye's first name is Alison...I'll file that later." The Baroness thinks. "Still a little hoarse from earlier, but fine, thanks." She says, then sees her join a Joe in a green hat and white camo.

She then heads to the hanger, where she sees the blond simpleton and the former actor run past her as she heads to the jet with the name Lady-Jaye stenciled on it, Alice, who's name was on the back of the carrot photo, is sitting in it. "How you feeling, Lady-Jaye? Heard you had an accident."

"Ah, I'm fine. How's my Skystriker coming?"

"Should be ready in an hour."

"Perfect, Alice, just perfect."

* * *

At the college library.

A black haired girl walks over to Sandy. "Have you seen Amber? She's not in her room, and was suppose to return that magnifying glass she borrowed."

"Sorry, Megan. She said she was at the store." Sandy says as she looks back from her geography book, and looks at the clock. "Huh, she's a little over due."

* * *

At Snake island's chopper pad.

Destro lands his F.A.N.G. and sees a Tele-Viper. "You, tell me what the Commander is up to." He asks.

"Sorry, sir, his orders are to say nothing." The T.V. says, and is shoved when his visor reads: Boss's got a secret.

* * *

At another room at Joe HQ.

The Baroness is listening to Duke brag about the device she's been waiting for when "those two" show up once again, so she decides to do something about how annoying they are. "I don't trust that girl." After hearing that, Duke asks "Lady-Jaye" about her throat, he knows how much smoke was in the lab and tells her to have Doc check her out.

In a lookout post on the right side of the base, Green-shirt Indiana is stargazing. "There's Lacerta, and Octans, and Ratt-uh-oh." He thinks. "Breaker, Rattlers coming in fast!, How the hell did they get by our early warning system?" He says into his mic. While watching the AA batteries open fire, he sees a jet take off after them. "Skystriker in pursuit, but where's the rest?" He asks.

Back in the monitor room. "Breaker here, all the rest are out of action, it's just Lady-Jaye up there."

* * *

At the last known location, Deep-Six is looking around. "I've reached the coordinates, but no sign of-wait, there it is; what's left of it."

"Is her canopy open, Deep-Six? Over." Breaker asks.

"Affirmative, but no sign of a raft on dorsal sonar, I'll check topside and make a sweep. Over." Deep-Six tells him.

"Roger. Over and out." Breaker replies, then turns. "Just have to wait and see, Flint. Sorry."

"No need to worry about me. Not the first time this has happened." He tells him, despite the look in his eyes.

But then, Flash ran in. "Duke, Flint, the guards for the guidance system; ones dead, the other's out cold, and it's gone!" The trio head over to see Green-shirt Rodriguez on the floor with a knife in her chest, while Blais is lying against the wall, unconscious, but alive.

"If i hadn't lived it, i wouldn't believe someone that young could do this." Flint says, thinking back to a decade ago.

"...I know what you mean, Flint." Duke tells him.

* * *

Back at Snake island.

Lady-Jaye and Gung-Ho see a Blue-shirt enter, and she gets an idea. "You there." She says.

"What is it, ya grass stained skank?" He asks with a sneer under his mask.

She takes a breath, which Gung-Ho raises an eyebrow to. "This shackles are chaffing, think you can let me out and switch them."

"Huh, why would i want to do something like that?" He asks her cautiously.

"I might have a way to thank you for it." She says suggestively as she lowered her jacket's zipper a little, just barely showing her bra, and glances up at him. "Or two."

* * *

Chapter one. Read and review.

*TWOK version.

**Made up.


	2. Lasers in the Night part 2

Sit-reps.

See pre-story announcement from last chapter.

* * *

Seeing that she has the trooper's full attention, Gung-Ho makes a small nod to his fellow captive, despite his concern. "Are yoo insane? Yoo ken't, what abou-"

Lady-Jaye cuts him off. "About who, all us girls know how lousy you and the other men's "performance" is!" She says, and points to him. "He doesn't even have much to work with, know what i mean?"

"Heh, steroids, huh? I thought so." The trooper says. "Or maybe he's a flaming cajun?" At that remark, Gung-Ho kicks at him, but misses. The trooper then knocks him out with his rifle butt while she looks away. "Now then, how many girls you got?" he asks her.

"Including Scarlett and Cover-Girl; 46." She replies, and feigns a smirk, and watches him set his rifle down by the door...and reach for his suspenders. "Not going to find us a nice quiet place?" She asks, hiding how ashamed she is with herself perfectly.

"Eh, I'll just cover your mouth." He tells her, and reaches for his pants when a third voice is heard.

"Soldier, vhat are you doing?!"

The Blue-shirt and Lady-Jaye turn to their attention to the door, where a second Lady-Jaye and a Crimson guardsman are standing. "Baroness! So you put me here!" She tells her "clone". "You better not have done anything to my friends, you hear me!"

"You should be more concerned vith your..." The Baroness says, then switches voices. "I mean, my lover. he did offer me flowers when i got back from the burning lab, not that they matter anymore."

The Blue-shirt then raises his suspenders back up. "Ma'am, how long you been back?"

"I'll ask the questions; vhat vere you about to do?" She asks him as she narrows her eyes.

"Uh, the prisoner thought she could convince me to let her escape." He tells her, then kicks the real Lady-Jaye in the thigh.

The Baroness looks between the two, then nods to the C.G., who runs his bayonet into the Blue-shirt's heart and fires, covering the right wall with his blood. Gung-Ho wakes up at the sound and sees Lady-Jaye looking at the body. "Huh, wud ah miss?" He asks, then they hear running.

"Who fired that shot... and, uh, which Lady-Jaye are you?" Cobra Commander asks as he and a female Tele-Viper, whose visor reads: Ew, like gross me out., show up.

"I'm the false one. She vas attempting to sveet talk her vay out, Commander." The Baroness says.

"Wass sssshe now?" Cobra Commander says, as he glances at the body. "Ok, leave that asss a reminder."

After that, "Lady-Jaye" turns to "herself". "Seems poor Gung-Ho was lost in quicksand, and you were lost at sea." She says in Lady-Jaye's voice. "But not before having a moment with **him**."

"...You phony piece of commie crap. If you did anything to Flint, I'll break yaer damn neck; ye hear me, ye bitch?!" She yells, her accent slipping again as she gets as close as the chains allowed, only for the Baroness to backhand her, but Gung-Ho catches her.

"You should be more concerned for your own neck, you highland trash. Oh, and good thing you're M.I.A., or you vould have been tried for murder." The Baroness tells her, then shuts the door, smirking at the questions and threats she hears behind her.

* * *

At Joe HQ, at the same time as Lady-Jaye was first putting her escape attempt into action, Doc was sliding the slab with Rodriguez's body into the morgue locker while Duke, Flint, Scarlett, Cover-Girl, Alice, Haruna, and some others watched in silence. "Has anyone seen where **she** went?" Cover-Girl asks aloud through her teeth.

"Lavigne said she and Quick-Kick left 22 minutes before the robbery was discovered." Duke tells her.

"Think we should send someone after them?, She was skilled enough to take out the camera before doing all that." Flint asks; but before he can answer, Grunt comes in and talks to Duke.

"Clutch sent me to ask why you ordered Quick-Kick to take a Mirage cycle, sir." Duke and Flint stare at him, then at each other.

* * *

After Quick-Kick runs off from Amber's room, Sandy follows. "Mr. Joe dude, anything i can do?"

"She and her folks won't like it, but tell the dean, he has to know." He tells her, and she does a slight salute.

"Please be safe, Amber, even if you are a jerk." She says to herself as she heads for the administration building.

* * *

At Snake island, in the cell.

"You know how to dance?" Lady-Jaye asks Gung-Ho.

"Ah sure do, one 'a mah sisteh's works fer a nightclub." He tells her, then they hear the door open, and see a blond girl in a wet-suit be pushed in by a C.G.

"Looks like we have a new guest."

"Lady-Jaye."

"Do you know this young lady, Gung-Ho?"

"Ah've never seen her buhfer."

"I'm Amber, a friend of Quick-Kick. Cobra Commander's about to do something terrible, with a laser machine."

"Well then we gottuh git out of here fast...It's no use."

"Wouldn't happen to have a hacksaw on ya?"

"No; but if Quick-Kick can do it, so can i."

"Oorah, kid!" Gung-Ho says as he slaps her on the back.

"Ow, watch it." Amber says, as Lady-Jaye catches her.

"Whoops, force of habit." He says to her with a sheepish expression.

She is about to reply when she notices a wet feeling; she looks down, and screams. "Oh my god, is he..."

Lady-Jaye turns her away from the body on the floor. "I'm afraid so, even if he was a Cobra goon...Amber, about this laser machine?" Lady-Jaye asks.

"...That four-eyes who had your uniform said she framed me for stealing some guidance thingy the private in the yellow and green uniform was bragging about." Amber tells them.

"The guidance system!, Shit...ah mean...Wait, he told yoo Duke is a greenhorn?" Gung-Ho asked in a miffed tone as he pointed in a random direction.

"He's not?" she asks back, when the lights in the hall flicker.

"They're firing!; Amber, what's the target?" Lady-Jaye asks.

"All i know is that it was pointed at the moon." She replied while shaking her head.

In the control room, Tele-Viper 21 is at his console when he hears Destro behind him. "Commander, i demand to know the meaning of this, at once."

"See for yourself, Destro."

He turns to another T.V., his visor reading: Think anyone will notice?

The other looks back: Totally, dude, got his good-side and everything.

* * *

On a ship off Midway.

"What the hell?" A bridge crewman asks himself as he and others watch, then gets to the intercom. "Admiral Lattimer, this is ensign Adcox, someone's...painting...on the moon, sir!"

* * *

At Washington D.C. just before Quick-Kick landed his Dragonfly.

"Damn disgusting, isn't it Clay?" Colonel Sharp asked his younger friend, and new superior as everyone was looking skyward.

"Absolutely. Morelli, you get in touch with them yet?" General Abernathy asked.

"Yes, sir. Duke is well aware, and has Breaker triangulating the source." Morelli replied.

* * *

At two spots in Japan, two girls were looking up.

"Onshi, are wa?!" One with short hair shouts as she points up with a scowl.

"Onore, sono Kobura ja!" An older man grumbled.

In a JSDF base leased to G.I. Joe in Hokkaido, the other with longer hair was informed by another while working on a V.A.M.P.

"Sasaki*-Gocho, mite; tsuki ga!"

Taeko Sasaki looks up and sneers.

* * *

At Joe HQ, Breaker and Sparks are at the console, while others are handling the phones which are ringing.

"Right, Sgt. S, we see it too." Stalker said in one.

"We're working on it, Admiral Ledger." Tripwire said in another.

"We'll let you know when it's over, Dr. Vandermeer." Snow-Job said in a third.

Duke and Flint were looking at the monitor when Deep-Six popped up. "Sir, i found Lady-Jaye's ejector seat, footprints lead some 20 yards east." The two look to each other and grin, but then. "But, they vanish just infront of two scorchmarks...evenly spaced ones."

Everyone turns to the screen at this, and Duke's expression darkens. "A Rattler."

Flint then turns to him. "Don't you say it, she wouldn't."

"Slow down there, she could have just been captured, Flint. Only two people can confirm which is which. Get Doc on the phone, see if Blais is up yet." Duke says.

While Doc says he hasn't gotten up on his own, he does say it's safe enough to wake him. "Go ahead, Holliday." Doc says, and the nurse waves some smelling salts.

"Ugh; what? Tear gas! Monica, look out!" Blais shouts before Simmons restrains him slightly.

"Blais, it's us. We need to know who attacked you." Duke tells him, but Blais looks around.

"Sir, wat about Monica, thought ah saw 'er punchin at Lady-Jaye 'afore ah went down." He asks, but Duke shut his eyes and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, soldier, but Lady-Jaye killed her; stuck her own survival knife right in her heart. She was dead before she fell."

"No! Damn dat little miss benedict arnold down ta hell!" Blais shouted and threw the pillow to the floor before Flint grabbed him.

"Don't you dare say it was her; it had to be that Amber girl!" He said in a fierce tone.

"Dash! Turn him loose, right now!" Duke says while two orderlies separate Flint from a startled Blais.

"Forgive me, it's just...When? Could she have been one this whole time? I can't, will not believe she would do that to us; after the pyramid, the rocket business, the satellite, my bedro-" Flint said, but covered his mouth.

"Your Bed?" Duke asked, but Flint said nothing. "Flint?" He asked again, slowly.

"...Fine. Just before the stuff with the cloaking device and the oil, she and i discussed a session she had with Rich. She went on about her mishaps; one thing lead to another, and...we slept together, Duke, and not like at that SWAT man's house." Flint admitted.

"Oh, for the love of...you had sex with a Cobra spy?; Dammit, Dash!" Duke shouts, and he nods. "Did she ask you **anything** above her clearance level?"

Flint shakes his head before Sparks comes in. "Sir, Quick-Kick just reported in at the laser origin site, says he found our missing raft."

Duke turns to him, then back to the others. "Alright, three Skystrikers are airworthy; who's ready?"

Shipwreck and Roadblock stepped up. "Count me in, skipper."/"I'm game too, lets break us some snake."

Flint looks to them, and stepped up too. "I have to find out; if it is true...I'll stop her myself, and if i don't...Duke, shoot me; make it quick." He says calmly, but Duke says nothing, and leads them to the hanger.

"Yo Joe!"

* * *

At Snake island.

"What, Rodriguez? Well, it so was not L.J., the Baroness pulled a switcharoo at the electronics lab." Quick-Kick tells them while Amber nodded.

"She told me herself before we flew the coop."

"Oh, thank god. She's off the hook." Flint said aloud.

Quick-Kick then informs them about the glowing whip doodad and that there were no surface entrances, so he makes a sign in the sand telling Gung-Ho and Lady-Jaye, who were up on the rim, to climb back inside the base. Once they enter the same way Amber did earlier, they meet up near the machine, where Lady-Jaye grabs Flint. "How are you, did they hurt you?" He asks her.

"The Baroness got the guidance system after they couldn't get the device's location from us." She says proudly. "They roughed us up, but we didn't-"

Duke cuts her off. "Gung-Ho, Lady-Jaye, i have bad news. The Baroness...killed Rodriguez and injured Blais in the process and blamed Amber and you for it."

"Wut?, Dat rooskie bitch!" Gung-Ho says as Lady-Jaye holds her hands to her mouth before sobbing on Flint's shoulder.

"Mon~ica~a; damn her~damn her." Lady-Jaye said as Flint rubbed the back of her head.

"Other than that...Lady-Jaye, this may be a bad time, but is it true that you and Flint have...relations?" Duke asks her, and both glance to each other before nodding slowly.

"Wait, so that guy and Lady-Ja-Mmph!" Amber asks Quick-Kick, but he covered her mouth.

"Huh, so he's da guy da Baroness was blabbin' about earlier?" Gung-Ho asks Lady-Jaye while pointing at Flint.

"...You told him?!" She asks Flint angrily, who sighed.

"It slipped; when i heard you might have been a spy, everything just went numb. If you want to hit me, go ahead, i wont stop you." He tells her, but she turns toward Duke.

"I admit we did, but i was blinded by stress...and other things back then; we swear it will never happen again." She tells him.

"...Alright, but word of that event does not leave the base, understood?" Duke asks, and they agree.

"Sir, yes, sir!" They, Gung-Ho, Quick-Kick; and Amber, who was too confused by the sudden drama, all salute.

"...Not you, Amber." Duke said to her.

After that, another Dragonfly arrived which Mainframe and General Abernathy were in, followed by a Chinook which Sikorski got out of, causing Shipwreck to hide behind Quick-Kick. "So, this is it?, We'll take it from here, Duke." Abernathy says, while Mainframe is given the laser lash Quick-Kick took before he walks over to look at the laser machine with Dr. Winters and some technicians.

* * *

Once Cobra Commander, The Baroness, and Destro land, the arms dealer grabs the Commander by the collar. "Millions wasted on your lunar etch-a-sketch, millions more on a facility now in enemy hands, and 16 hours of my time wasted flying all across the pacific! And for what...what was this all about, you sniveling excuse for an artist?!"

"I'm allowed to be bored, aren't i?" The Commander told him, only to be shaken, lifted, and thrown like a rag doll.

"Bored?! Not with my finances, you thieving little...parasite!" Destro yelled.

"Ahhh!" Cobra Commander let out.

"Maybe he should have done a Picasso, and sickened everyone into submission." The Baroness suggested.

"Silence!" Destro shouted.

* * *

At the college, Amber sees Sandy run up to her.

"Dammit, what the hell is wrong with you!" Sandy yelled as she slapped her. "Don't you~know how scared we were!"

"~I'm so sorry!" Amber says, but the other looks down.

"That Joe hunk told me to tell the Dean...Amber, he has your parents here." Sandy said, and watched her run off.

In the main office.

"God dammit Amber, what were you thinking!...You were thinking, weren't you?!" Each of her parent's say as her dad smacked and shook her.

"Isn't that a little too harsh, Mr. Phillips**?" The Dean asks as he shot out of his seat.

"You keep out of...Well...maybe. But my daughter just waltzed into a US and a terrorist base, Mr. Henderson! I'm well with in my rights to punish her." Mr. Philips says to him.

"I'll give you that. Miss Amber, it is with much regret that i am forced to have you expelled from the premises, effective immediately." The Dean told her.

On her way out, Sandy gives one last hug, while the other students chant her name. "Amber, Yo Joe, Amber, Yo Joe!"

* * *

Chapter two. Read and review.

* JSDF equivalent of Corporal.

** Made-up surname.


	3. Downtime part seventeen

Sit-reps.

* * *

Following Rodriguez's funeral, and Lady-Jaye's exoneration and welcome back party for her and Gung-Ho, Mainframe was wandering the base with Flash and Clutch when they come across Alice and Marissa. "Hey, there. Who's the doll your with, Alice?" Mainframe asks, but Clutch elbows him before Alice gets in his face.

"You hitting on someone right in front of me; we may not be married, Blaine, but still." She tells him.

"Easy, Ali'. Just forgot how it works after two kids." He says, then turns to Clutch. "And what'd you do that for?"

"Jordan's been assigned to Recondo." Clutch tells him, which among the Joes means rule bending.

"Oh, my mistake." Mainframe tells her, but she sticks her nose up and walks past him.

In Duke's office, he watches some clerk drop of a bunch of memos and goes through them once the person leaves.

1\. Doc to Duke.

Flint in infirmary for burn on left wrist during his K.P., Lady-Jaye's turn made early to compensate.

2\. Cutter to Duke.

Me and Ripcord almost blitzkrieg'd by R/C cars near armory 3.

3\. Spirit to Duke.

R/C cars in hall outside lavatory 18, be in infirmary for bruises after falling.

4\. Mutt to Duke.

Junkyard and Liberty chasing R/C cars on level 4.

He then gets a call from Breaker. "Just found Snow-Job, Grunt, Thunder, and Footloose on camera 37 with the controllers, M.P.'s en route."

"Got it, thanks." Duke says, then hangs up.

5\. Barbecue to Duke.

Requesting leave, have found ad for an old firehouse nearby in today's newspaper.

6\. Scarlett to Duke.

Word from Abernathy: Marshall island depot attacked, W.H.A.L.E.'s stolen. Also, Cobra chemical robberies continue.

7\. Admiral Ledger to Duke.

USS Flagg and Atlantic fleet unable to locate source of Cobra subs.

* * *

At an undersea base, Cobra Commander, still in a sling from before, is showing Destro, the Twins, and a fourth man with glasses a schematic of something. "I disagree, your sea-serpent should..." Tomax starts.

"Resemble a normal one, Commander." Xamot finishes.

"What isss wrong with ssome originality?" Cobra Commander asks, pointing to the drawing of a snake/slug looking machine.

"The whole thing is absurd. The "eyes" are too big, and the steel spikes and fangs will cost too much to justify the intimidation factor." Destro told him.

"They have a point; how did you even get the idea for this...thing?" The other man asks.

"...That's for me to know, and for you to not concern yourselves with; but if you must have the classic, then get a move on." Cobra Commander told them, and walked off in a huff.

* * *

Back at The Joe's Place, Recondo and Marissa were eating alongside each other. "So, tell me again how you raced with Zartan?" She asks him with a coy look in her eyes.

"Well, there i was with Dusty, "Don't go messing with some punk actor." he tells me, but i wasn't fooled for a second. I was just about to cut him off at the turn when this pebble gets in my eye, and-" He says, but she cuts him off.

"Didn't you say last time it was because Dusty barfed on you?" She asks him, but he turns his head awkwardly and whistles, making her roll her eyes.

* * *

Chapter three. Read and review.


	4. Sabotage

Sit-reps.

Skymaster23 does not condone violence toward women.

* * *

In a lounge at a Cobra base, the Baroness was telling other female Cobra operatives about her time going undercover among the Joes.

"The first thing you should know is how closely knit they are, so much information to entangle them vith." She says to them.

"Really, those people sound way too lax." One blond trooper says.

"But is it that relevant?" The eel from before asks, before being shoved to the ground.

"You idiot, there is no such thing as useless knowledge vhen it comes to espionage!" The Baroness shouts at her.

"Any examples?" A red haired trooper asks.

"I also found that the one i impersonated; she names her javelins." The Baroness tells them.

The women look at each other and discussed it.

"Like what, spear of long-joe-nus?" The eel asked.

"No, i mean actual names. Odd, but easy to use against her." The Baroness says with a smirk.

* * *

At the Joe weapons range, Lady-Jaye is shaking and smacking a javelin. "Come on, Helen, where are your propeller blades?" She tosses it down, and places her hands on her head in shock as flames come out, setting fire to the field.

"Get the foam truck, hurry, put those flames out!" Steeler shouts.

"How'd that happen?" Tollbooth asks, as Zap and Heavy Metal run off to get help.

"It was that damn mimicker, she switched Helen with Fred!" Lady-Jaye shouts as she heads for the armory where her other javelins are. "She is so dead!"

* * *

Chapter four. Read and review.


	5. The Germ

Sit-reps.

* * *

After getting his orders and taking his uniform from the closet at the safe-house basement, Agent X99 heads to his fellow agents, in full body casts after their car was struck by a drunk driver. "Got to go, guys; duty calls."

* * *

A Tele-Viper, watching him take the growth serum, and informs the troopers outside. His Visor reads: Eh, Ninja dude ain't gonna like this, that was for his garden.

* * *

At Washington, Morelli rushes for Col. Sharp's office, and runs into a bushy haired man in a seal uniform. "Sorry Brian, it's an emergency!"

"I'll give you an emergency later, dumbass!" He shouts.

"Col. Sharp, sat-recon just spotted a...Well, just follow me; better if you see for yourself, sir."

* * *

On board the Flagg, Admiral Ledger is watching as a Dragonfly approaches with some "cargo". "Ledger to Joe Leader, you in the Commando Cody business, now?" He asks into the radio.

"Very funny; this is no rocket, sir, it's a needle. We got a, uh, problem with a not so micro microbe." Airtight says.

"Who's the patient, that overgrown drill instructor of yours?" Ledger asked.

* * *

At Joe HQ, Tollbooth was in the rec room playing connect-4 with Airborne when Duke runs in to inform him of the new plan. "Huh, appleseeds?, We would need to rig up our armor with high power air compressors, but if it needs to be done, i can do it." He tells the C.O., when...

"Hold it, how big is this thing you're talking about?" Snow-Job asks them.

"About a third as big as the base, according to Flint." Duke replies, and Snow-Job rubs his chin.

"If that's the case, you'll need 37 thousand." Snow-Job tells him, and sees everyone stare at him. "I got a neighbor who's a high school math teacher."

* * *

Once the ordeal is over, Lady-Jaye gets back from her furlough when she sees Roadblock, Quick-Kick, Dusty, Shipwreck, and Snake-Eyes by an A.P.C., all of them covered in something yellow and purple. "Uh, did i miss something?" She asks them and holds her nose after getting closer. "And what is that stench?!"

"The, uh, stuff that pies are made of." Quick-Kick said in a Humphrey Bogart accent.

"We just got back from a fight with The Blob's little brother." Shipwreck said next.

"That purple thing?, I think i saw that while channel flipping; thought it was just a movie." She says.

"Nope, all real, and weird as hell." Dusty replied.

"...Hope i never go through something like that." She says back.

* * *

At the Twins office, Xamot is talking with X99, who escaped on route to prison, both are in front of a window in the main office. "So...you added to your objective, which was not ordered, lost not only the X chemical, but an experimental growth serum too; you also cost us hundreds of rounds of ammunition, five missiles and the launch facility, destroyed numerous vehicles, got several personnel killed, and worst of all, you let yourself get captured?"

"My apologies, sir, it won't happen again." He tells his employer, who nods.

"Well said, X99." Xamot tells him and snaps his fingers as the window pane opened, signalling Tomax to open a ceiling panel and swing down, kicking X99 out the window.

* * *

Chapter five. Read and review.


	6. Post-op part one

Sit-reps.

* * *

At the same time that was going on, outside an old firehouse, Barbecue watches a semi and a van roll up. "'Ey there, i see you got the decor. Sure got it here fast." He says to Honda Lou West.

"Anything fer you Joes...Said da name's Bahbecue, didn't ya?" She asks him as she gets out, and he nods.

"That's what i said, kid."

The two head for the back of the first one, where Honda has her employees unload the furniture into a hollowed out building. "Where you want this stuff?" One of them asks, and the Joe starts directing them.

"First, i want the painting's over 'ere by the windows, 'kay?", "...No, not the long one, put that there, under the loft about 20 feet.", "The record playeh?...How about there on the lower left cornah...nah, turn it to the right jest a'bit.", "Now, put those lamps up on the loft jest above it."

* * *

Once Lady-Jaye enters the base, she heads for the elevator when she is pulled into a store room, and feels big arms around her waist. But just as she is about to stomp her heel into the assailant's foot, she sees the lights turn on, and hears the person's voice. "Guess who."

"Dash, don't do that; i could have busted your jaw, you know." She tells him as she glances over her shoulder with a grin.

"O~uch, that would make it hard...to do this!" He tells her as he kisses her jaw and neck, making her giggle and moan.

"Q-Quit it. No, stop...I said stop!" She says aloud as her common sense interrupted their happiness, making him cover her mouth before twisting her around. "Dash, we have to do this after i was captured?"

"...I know, Alison. I still hate myself for doubting you, thinking you dead again." He tells her as he steps toward her, but she steps back.

"Flint...we shouldn't. Between basic disguising and synthoids, how can~you trust me...or~any other-" She asks tearfully, but he pulled her close and kissed her into silence.

"I don't care about that, only that you're here; and if you are a fake here to kill me, as long as your face is that last thing i see, i can die happy. Because i love you." He tells her, and she lets out a gasp. Did he really just say that? She decides to test him while she covers her blushing and looks away.

"Dash, you shouldn't make bad jokes like that." She says quietly. "Not after what happened to Monica."

"I wasn't; I'm serious about it, Alison." He tells her, placing a finger under her chin, but she bats it away.

"...Atleast now the chemical robberies are case closed. How bad was it?" She asks to change the subject.

"...Real crazy this time. Ace was almost killed a few times; took some pesticide fumes and had his own missiles...spit at him, for lack of a better word, by **it** somehow." Flint says as he leans against a wall.

"Is he okay?" She asks after she puts her hands to her mouth.

"Fine, according to Doc, but anything else will be up to Kenneth." Flint tells her as he shrugs.

"...Did you really shoot that thing with ap-" She starts to ask.

"Ah-ah...Probably should wait a while before you say the A word around here, like a zillion years or so." Flint tells her, and she laughs.

"How's your wrist?" She asks him as they walk out.

"A lot better; still your fault." He says as he looks at it. "Just had to distract me didn't you?"

"Yeah, well, atleast i can sing." She says back and sticks her tongue out.

"What, i sing just fine." He says back as he places his fists on his hips, and both think of the arctic mission.

"For a tuba, maybe." She replied as she roll her eyes.

"Tuba?!" He asks. "You take that back."

"Okay, how about i tell you how good Gung-Ho's dancing is?" She asks with a glint in her eye as he scowls.

"His what?"

Two floors up, in the infirmary.

"And after i hit the water, i start wondering..." Steeler tells Dr. Rich.

* * *

Chapter six. Read and review.


	7. The Viper is Coming

Sit-reps.

* * *

At the new hangout spot, Footloose knocked on the door.

"Oh, yer 'ere. Congratulations, yer the first to arrive." Barbecue tells him.

"Awesome!, but weren't you, like, a blond guy before?" Footloose asked him, and the host glances up and points to his hair.

"You mean this? I was, but the cosmetics factory's..." He says.

* * *

At a Cobra base, Zartan finishes.

"...lazy shit-head workers all went on strike!" He tells Cobra Commander, while Destro is next to him laughing his head off.

"And that explains your current wardrobe addition?" The Commander asks, irritation in his voice.

"I can't be seen without my facepaint, it's too un-manly!" Zartan shouts as the Dreadnoks all pat him on the back.

"...Un-manly? You tell me that while wearing a paper bag over your head, like a school boy?!" The Commander asks next.

* * *

At Joe HQ, Lady-Jaye enters 5-75 into the computer, and gets Bogota, Colombia.

"That where the fangs are sunk into?" Duke asks.

"Shouldn't be, Action Force cleared that a few weeks ago. The only other possible location is Antarctica, Cobra subs were seen there by a Chilean cargo ship." She told him.

* * *

At the admin building of West Point.

"Gunny, some people here for you?" A marine cpl. says to the academy instructor.

"Tell 'em I'm busy." The instructor, Metzger, says, not looking up.

"Too busy for us Joes?" He hears from a female voice.

"Huh...Scarlett!" He says in surprise. "Haven't seen you in a while. And, this is?" He asks, turning to a person next to her.

"Name's Roadblock, we're here to clean Cobra's clock."

"Cobra; here?" Metzger asks as he stands.

"We've been getting tips from someone calling himself The Viper lately. He told us he'd "start at the West corner". Scarlett says.

"You think He's after Sen. Robbins?" Metzger asked next.

"We're not sure, Antarctica was just an R&R center, whose boss had no knowledge of this Viper, according to the polygraph." Scarlett replied as she shook her head.

"Well...go ahead, I'll inform the M.P.'s at the event you'll be backing them up; Yo Joe." He says as he smirks and salutes, which they return.

* * *

After the "Viper" is identified, Duke turns to him. "You don't seem very concerned, considering all the hardware you were facing just now."

"Oh, that's nothing, young man. Not after the vestern front." He replies, which several Joes repeat the last two words of. "Cannot count how many times i have faced death in the face. It's why i smuggle myself here."

"And what's your name, i have to know." Barbecue asks him.

"My name; Rudiger Krieger.*" He told them.

* * *

Chapter seven. Read and review.

*Made up.


	8. Foreign relations

Sit-reps.

* * *

In Britain, Duke and Short-Fuze are back with Steeler, Cover-Girl, and Tollbooth to oversee the completion of Action Force's command vehicle. "That's one hell of a chunk of Cobra slaying metal, ain't it, guys?" Steeler asks with a smirk as they feel the ground shaking under them.

"You said it, Steeler; but, what's with Cover-Girl all of a sudden?" Tollbooth asked as he pointed a thumb at the woman breathing in and out while drooling.

But Steeler sighed in annoyance. "Lets just pretend she's not here." He advised.

After the demonstration of it's armaments, Short-Fuze turns to Big Ben. "Is Air-I mean, Nylund still here?"

"She went back to her country a month ago." The A.F. leader says to him. "Tell you what, you can borrow a 'Striker for a hop across the pond. I'll have Switchboard let them know to expect you."

Once he was allowed by Duke, he and Steeler (who was ordered to go with) landed, he was given a ride to a house, and rang the doorbell. "Airfoil, you there? It's me, Shorty." He asks, while Steeler blinked and turned to him.

"Shorty?"

The door opens. "I'm not...Shorty?; why are you here?"

"Officially, to see that oversized go-cart." He tells her. "But, really to see how you're doing."

"Well, you shouldn't have. Leave." She tells him, he asks why, and she shuts her eyes. "Because I'm an ugly shredded up liar." She tells him as she rolled up a sleeve to show her prosthetic forearm.

"Who cares about something like that, Rakel?, So you got injured, we have one Joe who has three missing toes on her." He tells her.

"And what's this about lying?" Steeler asks, earning a look from Short-Fuze. "Nevermind, sorry. I'm Steeler, by the way."

"...I told Shorty that i was A.F.'s best pilot, but that was just bragging, as you can see. Maverick was better, he was just on leave that day." Rakel explained. "And now he's their only airforce member."

"So what, you just need to be glad you survived...like i am!" Short-Fuze tells her.

"~Eric!" She replied, and threw herself at him.

* * *

After the Joes return, Tollbooth goes to the lab area of the base with some flowers behind his back. "Hey, Airtight, is Blackstone here?, Want to show her something." Tollbooth asks when the other Joe shows up in the airlock.

"One moment." Airtight replied.

Once the decon is over, she heads out. "Strange to see you here. What might you need, Mr. Tollbooth?" She asks.

"After hearing about some tale from Short-Fuze, i decided...here!" The engineer says, and shows the gift.

"Roses?, I-i don't know what to say." She tells him, and sees him raise a hand.

"Heh-heh, roses are red, violets are blue, so's this wrapping paper, for you to review." He says as he hands it over and puts his hands to his hips.

The two head to the maintenance area to find a table, and she unfolds the wrapping to see a blueprint. "Heavy Articulated Vehicle Ordnance Carrier?"

"I got the idea when Heavy Metal told me about them Action guy's Avalanche tank." Tollbooth explained.

She looks up to him. "It may look impressive, but it's sides are too vulnerable."

"That's where the carrier part comes in, Sally." He tells her, and shows a second paper that was under the first. "This is the Ground Effect Vehicle, a high speed hover car meant as the Havoc's built-in air support scout."

* * *

Chapter eight. Read and review.


	9. Spell of the Siren part 1

Sit-reps.

This one will be a bit A.U.

Skymaster23 does not condone violence toward women.

* * *

Below deck on the Flagg, Torpedo and Lady-Jaye were being given their wet-suits. "Here ya go." The crewman says as he plops them on the counter.

"Hey, why does mine have no legs on it?" Lady-Jaye asks as she turns her head from her's to Torpedo's four times, then looked to the crewman.

"Oh dat?; When them snakes attacked the other day*, they gat the laundry room. Dat one's legs were boirnt, so we had to hack 'em off." He explained, and watches as she lowers her head in exasperation.

* * *

In the commissary of Cobra's undersea base, an A.V.A.C. is in K.P. for leaving a white-out sketch on a Rattler of a turtle with the pilot's head.

"Piece of crap Sarge, no sense of humor. I oughta-" He grumbled as he was locking an over-grown radish from the growth serum/jet fuel recovery stuff into a lathe LeCar had built, when a trooper called him, making him rush over, elbowing a tank of water and nudging the brick on it's lid, which falls as he shuts the door, letting an octopus get away.

The animal gets out and finds an airvent, which it forces open. It crawls in and makes it's way aimlessly, at one point sticking an arm out, which drips water into the Baroness's shoulder while a staff meeting was going on, making her turn to Ripper, who was standing behind her, and deck him. It later found it's way to Scrap Irons room and overturned a box of helmets, one of which it "borrowed" before an alarm sounded. "Alert, G.I. Joe is attacking. Defend the outpost!"

Once the flooding started, it made it's way into the helmet, which bumps into Deep-Six's leg. "Gah!, That's disgusting!, Guess we can write Scrap Iron off the list." He says, then notices Lady-Jaye while he shakes his head to get the image out. "Flint, your girlfriends drowning!"

"You hurt?"

"Only my pride."

"What's this?"

"I don't know; but judging from how much the Baroness wanted what was in it, it must have been pretty important."

"What about your wrist?" Deep-Six asks.

"Hmm?, Piece of glass, no biggie." She tells him.

"Not for you maybe, but the number of sharks that can attract will be." He replied.

* * *

While Dr. Blackstone was examining the oil-skin, the phone rings in her office. "Hello?"

"Blackstone, Rich here." She hears. "Rich? I don't have an-" She tries to say, but is cut-off.

"This is no appointment, i just heard about the artifact Flint's team brought back. Can i take a look at it?" Dr. Rich asked.

* * *

In his building's lobby, Xamot was watching a total cretin...a certain business man's limo drives off after being dismissed for "being too similar" to Cobra Commander, when an odd sensation hits him.

"Sir, what's the matter?" A random worker asks as he and a security guard rush over.

"It's...Tomax?" He says, as they help him up.

"In trouble again?" The worker asks, both being familiar with this by now.

"No, it's...different this time somehow. Never experienced this before, it's more like he's sleeping, but it's too early where he is." He tells them.

* * *

After the Cobra attack began, Flint stops outside the cell. "Why you stopping, we need to get fighting!" Roadblock tells him.

"Just got to sound-proof the cell, don't want him hearing anymore of what's going on." Flint replied.

When the men stop moving, Green-shirt Marissa Jordan heads to Zap. "Hey, what's wrong?" She asks while seeing another, Alyssa Stall trying to get Indiana's attention.

"Come on, lets get to our post."

"Forget him, let's go, Cobra's inside the compound!" Marissa tells her, and the two run past Bazooka.

After hearing the Baroness on her loudspeaker order the men to turn on them, the two head for cover as Rock 'n Roll fires, killing two other Green-shirt's when he blew up a R.A.M. Cycle, which only wounds Stall, while Marissa goes back for her. "Rachael, and Julie; they're dead, Marissa!" She shouts over the noise.

"We will be too if we don't keep moving." Marissa replied as the two head for Scarlett, Cover-Girl, and Lady-Jaye's position.

"We've got to put them out of action."

"But how, without hurting them?"

"In that locker; it's stun gas."

"We'll cover you, go for it."

As Scarlett and Lady-Jaye head right, Cover-Girl and the Green-shirts fire to distract. "Coves, stay with Alyssa, I'll draw some of them off." Marissa tells Cover-Girl as she heads left. "This way, zombie boys! Yo Joe!"

"Wait, come ba...Damn!" Cover-Girl says before trading fire alongside Stall.

* * *

Inside the base, the Baroness is inside leading two Blue-shirts while a Crimson Guard and a Tele-Viper head down a different hall. They enter a stairwell to avoid a Green-shirt firing a SAW at them. "That was close." The C.G. says, and snorts when the T.V.'s visor reads: Fer sure.

They head upstairs, and after avoiding three other Greens, and tossing a grenade at a fourth and fifth, they find a room with a sign saying: C.O.'s Quarters. "The Commander's room; better check it for anything useful." The C.G. says, and breaks the door down with her rifle when it proved to be locked. Inside, they only find easels and paintings. "Huh, imagine that?"

The T.V. turns the light on, showing one painting of him, Roadblock, Flint, and Beachhead in 70's army clothes. Another is of a house, while a third is of a bunch of Joes infront of a giant flag backdrop with a Skystriker, an Armadillo, and Scarlett and Duke in the center. Another has Thunder on a horse from the Fort Knox robbery. And a fourth has Duke with his foot on a slumped over Cobra Commander.

The two turn to each other, then walk out. "Better erase that from your footage." The C.G. advised.

* * *

Once the attack is over, and the men are taken, the Joe trio are in Duke's office. "What's our next move, Shana?" Cover-Girl asks, hiding confusion from how it felt watching Shipwreck march off.

Scarlett looks her in the eye, then straightens up. "First, contact Washington. Second, do a head count. Third, triage. Fourth, we brief the Greens."

"Got it, Scarlett." Lady-Jaye says.

In Washington.

"All of them?" Col. Sharp asks the three.

"All but Wild Bill, Recondo, and Ripcord, they're still on leave, but we'll contact them later, sir." Scarlett replies.

"Understood, what of this...shell of theirs?" General Abernathy asks next.

"We still don't know how to deal with it yet, so we'll have to capture it for study." She tells him.

"Then get on it, son." The General said, then corrected himself while Morelli and Sharp stare at him. "I mean, uh..."

"Don't worry, i get what you mean. Scarlett, out." She says with a grin.

In the assembly room, the trio were doing the head count. Along with the two Alyssa mentioned, only seven female Green-shirts, along with Riley and another male who were in the defense tower that fell, were killed in action, though only indirectly. Gloria and the remaining staff were working on the rest. "We should be fortunate that one can't be hypnotized into doing what they don't want to do." Dr. Blackstone told the trio.

* * *

At a monster truck show in Ohio.

"Ye-haw, bust 'em up dere, Bear Foot!" Wild Bill shouts, almost making Recondo drop his hot dog.

"I'll bust you up if you don't watch it!" He tells him, when an employee scoots over to them.

* * *

After the three unaffected men return, the three women walk up. "Ain't this a mess?" Wild bill asked as he and the other two get out of the Dragonfly while the triage was wrapping up. "So, y'all say it was only female troops did this?" he asks, and Scarlett nods.

"Rahk, she-serpents got my sailor." Polly says as he flew over.

"...And it don't effect animals none, evidently." Scarlett adds in an accent.

"That's what Cover-Girl and a few Green's said. We were too busy to notice." Lady-Jaye said next.

While he is led inside, the other two check their footlockers in the main barracks, which are all broken into. "They took my stamp collection." Recondo grumbled, while Ripcord looked over.

"Just like Grunt's Black Jack winnings, Snake-Eye's bag of jawbreakers, and Cutter's dumb cymbal monkey; nah, forget the last one." He says, then checks some others. "Snow-Job's camera, Mutt's autograph from Micheal Keaton, too. But what's really tears it is that they burned the mag's i smuggled in."

"They're not gonna like that." Recondo told him, as both look to a pile of mostly burnt S.I.S.E., and Playboy magazines.

"Huh? You not bothered?" Ripcord asks him.

"Course i am, but Marissa'd have my hide if she caught me staring at them again." Recondo replied.

"Oh, forgot about that." Ripcord told him. "I wonder what they did to the she-green barracks?"

Back inside the base, the girls were showing Wild Bill what was left of Duke and Flint's offices. "They took Flint's model car, and I'd like to beat up whoever took his books; he was just about to start with number 5's page 23." Lady-Jaye says aloud.

"Well, someone else stole the photo of me and Duke at John Wayne's wax statue after that thing with the Firebat." Cover-Girl said, to which Scarlett rolls her eyes.

"No big loss, that." Scarlett added, still upset that she was too busy for that mission, causing the other to glare at her.

"Hold yer horses, the both of ya!" Wild Bill says as he gets in between them. "Did they take anythang else of yer's?" He asks.

"Only what wasn't nailed down. And just after i bought those stocki...Well, not important now". Cover-Girl almost said.

* * *

In the briefing room.

"Danny! Oh I'm so glad your back, jungle boy." Marissa says as she sees him enter with the other five.

"Same here, darlin'. Was real worried about you." He says back as they embrace.

"I'll never turn you down ever again!" She replies.

"Alright, break it up, you two." Scarlett says into the mic, and Recondo heads back to the stage. "Now here this. We may have lost most of our men, but we will get them, and our reputation, back. Lady-Jaye will be leaving for the hide-out Wild Bill and the other two spotted on the way back, so wish her luck!"

"Good luck out there!"/"Yo Joe, get 'em, L.J.!"/"Bring Dusty back, he still owes me for last poker night!"/"Stomp 'em flat!" Some of the Green-shirts, and Ripcord say.

* * *

After the Baroness orders Lady-Jaye dragged off, the two blue-shirt's doing the deed stop a few yards from the hidden door, and one reaches under her shirt and takes her bra. "Serves her right for switching with 219 back at that ranch."

"How much you think it cost her?" The other asks while holding it to see how it would look on her.

"More than we make, that's for sure. Take her panties while your at it." The other says while going through her pockets, but doesn't find anything, so the other stuffs her loot in her uniform before they both pick her back up, and head right under the waiting Xamot.

After he and Lady-Jaye escape, the Baroness enters the hanger and orders Major Bludd and some other's to pursue. In the second Rattler, two of the Blue-shirt's passed by Xamot are arguing. "You had him right there, why'd you just stand there!"

"I can't shoot at Tomax, he's too...And you didn't shoot either." Her gunner said.

"...Shut up; besides, that was Xamot." The pilot replied as she flipped the gunner off.

"You can tell them apart?" The third in a Fang asked.

"He has a scar on his face, Raven." The Rattler pilot said.

"Be quiet, and shoot them down now!" Destro yells over the radio.

* * *

Once Xamot and Lady-Jaye reach the base's radar range, they hear a voice on the radio. "Attention Firebat, turn back or we will shoot you down."

Xamot gestures to the panel, and Lady-Jaye responds in code. "I'm back from my trip. Wasn't great, but i bought a starling." (Mission failed. I have a double agent.)

"Acknowledged; welcome back, Lady-Jaye." Scarlett's voice replies.

Once they land, Xamot turns to his temporary co-pilot. "I hope this makes up for the...unpleasantness before, madam." He says, and turns over the stolen items. "I assume you'll want these back; the trio that were dragging you to the cells "did a little recon" before i got the drop on them."

She steps back with a blush, then rips them from his hand, and scowls as she holds them behind her back. "You tried to kill me 5 times."

"We were obligated to defend our clientele, and it was only 2 times; the damage to the hall in Albania was your doing, it was both of us under that copter; while Tomax was the one you were with at the cliff with that rocket javelin." Xamot tells her. "We still have your "Roscoe" in one of our safe-houses, by the way."

"...That doesn't excuse how you can side with those bastards." She says to him.

"Strictly business, we do not support them as much as you think, they're just one of our clients." He said back.

"Who's the rest?" She asks, but he puts a finger to his lips.

"That, my fair lady, is classified." He said, and winked before they enter the base.

* * *

Chapter nine. Read and review.

*Made up.


	10. Spell of the Siren part 2

Sit-reps.

This will also be a bit A.U.

Skymaster23 does not condone violence toward women.

* * *

At the same time Lady-Jaye and Xamot were heading to Joe H.Q., the captives were being made to do odd jobs. "We should keep this guy and give them Joes LeCar." One Blue-shirt says while she and 40 others were eating Roadblock's meals.

"You said it, 810. This ravioli is the best." A Tele-Viper next to her says, her visor reading: All that and a bag of chips, babe.

"Shh; not here, Karen." The blue-shirt whispers, covering the visor which read: oops.

In other parts of the house, Blowtorch was cleaning the pool with Stalker, Wild Weasel, and Alpine. Shipwreck was dusting a chandelier while Copperhead was vacuuming. Several Green-shirts were washing the outside windows while the Blue-shirts were doing the same inside. Cutter was placing wood in the fireplace. Major Bludd was doing dishes with Flash. Snake-Eyes was doing laundry with Storm Shadow. Flint was rubbing the Baroness's feet, while Destro was watching Duke scrub toilets. The rest were being made to entertain other female Cobra troops; in mundane, or other ways.

* * *

Back at Joe H.Q., The two make it five yards before seeing Scarlett, Wild Bill, and a dozen Green-shirts aiming at them. "You still mad about me taking that last miller can?" Lady-Jaye asked while both put their hands up.

"Was that for real, or another code?" Xamot asks from the corner of his mouth.

"Shut it. My beer, no. The double agent crap, yes. I'd know if we had one." Scarlett tells both.

"So i exaggerated; i had to make a deal with him." Lady-Jaye tells her.

"What sorta deal?" Wild Bill asks, keeping his two glocks trained on her and Xamot.

"We free Tomax, he gives us the shell." She replied, and Scarlett glances between her and Xamot before she orders the rest to stand down.

* * *

"The Baroness has taken over Cobra?" Ripcord asks Xamot.

"It would appear, though i doubt Destro will let her call the shots alone, he'll get her to spare him from servitude somehow." Xamot replies.

"He would. It means we need to act fast if we want to put Cobra Commander back in charge." Scarlett tells everybody.

"Back in charge?! Why not jest take da whole dang group down, Scarlett?!" Wild Bill asked her.

"Because she's way more of a threat than The Commander is. That house you and i saw can't hold every operative, so even if we do take it out, Cobra will just be kept alive by someone else." Lady-Jaye told him.

After showing the remaining Joes and Xamot the Sonic Pulsar, the latter turns to Dr. Blackstone. "How did you come up with this device?"

"Should i tell him?" She asks Scarlett.

"Concerned about Cobra using sonic weaponry on you?" Xamot tells her in a mocking tone.

"...Tell him." Scarlett ordered, with a sigh.

"Very well. Honestly, i only assisted putting it together; the real work was all Rich's doing." Dr. Blackstone says.

"Who's he?" Xamot asked her.

"Kenneth Rich, our psychiatrist. Turns out experimenting with sonic waves is a hobby of his." She explains.

"The same one who wrote "The Fifth Element: Sound?"." He asks next.

"Yes, exactly. We've been working on it ever since the shell's oil-skin covering Lady-Jaye took was brought back." She replies.

"I see, and this will free my brother?" He asked.

"And our men." Cover-Girl tells him, with a glare.

"Yes, yes; them too." He replied, while waving his hand just to irritate her.

"Enough!" Scarlett yells at them. "We have what we need, now get the Green-shirts to the briefing room."

* * *

After informing the troops, they head to the motor pool. "Load Sluggers 1 through 4 in the first jet, and 5 and 6 with the Mirage cycles and the captured Ferret in the second." Cover-Girl orders.

"Yes, sir. Move 'em, girls!" Marissa says.

"Who should lead the reserves, incase Cobra comes calling while we're gone?" Ripcord asks Scarlett.

"I've put Alyssa and Haruna in charge, they're activating the P.A.C./R.A.T.'s now." She replied.

Before she boards the plane, Xamot leads Lady-Jaye to a spot behind a Skyhawk. "What do you need now?" She asks him, and flinches a little when he takes her hand.

"Calm yourself, i just wish to thank you for trusting me." He replies.

"Assuming i am, you mean." She says to him while pulling her hand back and mentally running different scenarios and outcomes.

"Haha, you think I'm unprepared; but, i always have a way to surprise people." He says, and kissed her.

After a few seconds to process what just happened, she sneers and punches him in the face, puts him in a chokehold, and gets her knife out. "If you ever do that again, i will make that scar much bigger, you got that." She tells him through her teeth.

The knife hovers millimeters from him. "Of course...I apologize again, just let go." He says, and rubs his neck.

"Something happen?" Another Green-shirt asks Lady-Jaye.

"Just had to give Xamot one last bit of advice, Sarah." She told her as she sat down.

Once they are loaded, Scarlett turns to the men. "Alright, buckle up. Yo Joe!"

"Yo Joe!" The rest say back.

"Cobr...er, Yo Joe?" Xamot asks them as he sees all the angry looks. "Habit."

"Maybe you should just stick to your norm, our call sounds kinda lousy coming from you." Recondo tells him. Scarlett heads to the cockpit, where Wild Bill, Ripcord, and Alice are. The first two piloting, with the latter as radio operator.

* * *

Once the enemy leaders have fled, Lady-Jaye picks up the shell and holds it up. "I got it, Duke. Yo Joe!"

"Yo Joe!" He and the others shout back, but then...

"Over there; Cobra!" She and the other Joes hear from deeper in the hanger, and they see the enemy soldiers, of both genders this time, rushing at them.

"Lady-Jaye, look out!" Marissa shouts as she runs over and shoves her down as enemy, bullets rip through her.

She screams as the Green-shirt fell. "...Damn them. All Joes, return fire!" Duke yelled out as he and the others watched in horror.

"Yo Joe, for Jordan!" They all reply, except for Recondo, who along with Flint, ran to her.

"Marrisa? Baby,~please no." He pleads as Lady-Jaye passes her to him while Flint went prone and covered them along with Rock 'n Roll and Bazooka.

"Rec...ondo, is Lad...y-Jaye safe?" Marissa asks him as she coughs up blood.

"Yes. I'm~I'm fine, you~saved me, Mari~ssa." Lady-Jaye tells her while tears formed. "Doc, where are you!"

"I'm...so glad. What ab...out the shell?" Marissa asked.

"It's fine, sw~eety." Recondo answers while holding it.

"Great. I...I'm so sor~ry, Jun~gle boy. I...don't think~I'll be able to...go on anymore dates with...with you." She tells him as she strokes his face.

He kisses her and begs. "No,~don't you dar~e!, Doc, god dammit, get over here!"

"Wait...Tam~my, Monica?, I see~them, they're wav...ing. We'll~be watc...hing you guys...Danny, I lov-." She tried to say before she stopped breathing.

"Marissa, stop it; Mari~ssa?, Maris~s~a!"/"~Maris~sa?, God please...n~o~o!". Recondo and Lady-Jaye both say before they break down crying. "Fucking scale freaks, I'll kill all of you!" Recondo yells as he runs toward them, firing his rifle, and swinging it and his machete in fury when the former flies out of his grasp. He was followed by Lady-Jaye, javelins forgotten, she unloads her M-16 and slashes away with her knife once out of rounds.

"Get back over here...those idiots; covery fire!" Duke orders as he stands and tosses a grenade.

Once the fight is over, Doc zips up the bodybag with Marissa in it while a wounded and blood covered Recondo and Lady-Jaye watch, the latter in Flint's embrace.

"You have my condolences; both of you." Duke says as he walked over.

"...Thank you. What now?" Recondo asks him.

"I'll have to inform her family, and Col. Sharp." Duke replied.

* * *

At the airfield, Dr. Blackstone picks the shell up from the crate. "I want to study the conch, learn why it works."

"I'm afraid this things caused enough trouble; Lady-Jaye?"

Scarlett takes it and tosses it in the air, and the two fire a cross-bow bolt and the grenade from a launcher-javelin at it.

"Well, what'd you do that for?" Dr. Blackstone asked as she watched in dismay before Lady-Jaye explained.

* * *

Two hours later, another episode of Gr.i.t.y is aired with Blais and Stall with Recondo as a guest, all three had their headgear off while photo's of the recently lost Green-shirts were in the background. Blais closed his eyes and took a breath. "Today, we must give y'all sad news dat yet anotha of our ranks has fallen. Pvt. Jordan, Marissa Doris; has been killed in action. She done bravely gave her life several hours ago for G.I. Joe operative Lady-Jaye while out restorin' me an' da other menfolk from Cobra's clutches. By order of base commander Duke, she is to be posthumously promoted ta' 1st Lt., codenamed Klaxon." He said to the camera and turned to Recondo.

"Go ahead, sir." Stall said to him softly and he gave a slight nod.

"Klaxon...Marissa, like all the others we lost, will be missed and never forgotten. Aside from boot camp, which is naturally separated by gender, my first time actually noticing her was during that thing about those giant fruits and veggies."

Flashback.

Recondo, Roadblock and Cover-Girl were driving a R.A.M. and a V.A.M.P., respectively, when they see Junkyard barking at a tomato with one arm and a head sticking out. They pull over, and rush to it to see Flash and Mutt. "Good thing is we found you so soon, bad thing is none of us got a spoon." Roadblock says as he and Cover-Girl pull the first one out while Mutt tells him to shut up.

"There's still two more of us in there." Flash says to them before hearing a voice shout nearby.

"No, just Elwood. Get this thing off, my arms stuck under it!"

"...That's...Over there, she must be behind that mondo-pickle." Cover-Girl says after getting some pulp off her jacket.

"I'll get her, guys." Recondo says, and looks into the gap, seeing the person on her back with her right forearm under the zucchini. "Roadblock, move this end, and I'll drag her back."

"Will do, man." He replies and lifts it up.

Recondo grabs under her arms, and backs up. "You alright, not hurt anywhere?"

She rubs her arm and looks up. "Leclaire?...Sure, just two fingers are busted, and might have bruised a rib or two, but I'll live." When he helps her up, she hugs him. "Still, thanks a lot, jungle boy."

Recondo shrugs. "No prob, but who're you exactly?"

"Pvt. Jordan, former federal agent. But you can call me Marissa." She replied with a small salute before seeing the three she was with. "Oh, gross me out." She says aloud.

End flashback.

* * *

A few days after that, one of the moes gives Duke a letter. After a moment of deciding, he sighs and turns on the camera.

"All personnel, attention; i have received a letter from Extensive Enterprises. It reads: We have been informed of the outcome from your last battle, i Xamot, give thanks for assisting in my brother's rescue; and our condolences, and that of our entire company, for the loss you suffered in exchange for the shell. That is all."

* * *

Chapter ten. Read and review.


	11. Cobra Quake

G.I. Joe: sit-reps.

More A.U. ness.

Skymaster23 has no connection to Gundam, Votoms, or TOHO.

* * *

Two months after Marissa Jordan's and the other seven Greenshirt's funerals, the Joes get word of a financial summit in Japan. Before it occurs, Clutch and Thunder are given some leave time, and head for a Toyota company building. "Check this out, Thunder; a 1985 Celica, and that truck." Clutch says, then smirks. "Heh-heh, the chick's too."

"You said it. It stinks that i can't speak the language." Thunder says, as both look around at the bodies...the metal ones, and organic ones.

"You let me handle that. I'll get us some company, man." Clutch told him.

"Good thing Cover-Girl ain't here, or she'd ruin our fun." Thunder replied.

"Or try to make out with one of the cars. Makes me wish i was one." Clutch added and Thunder nods with a smirk of his own.

* * *

Elsewhere, Roadblock was with Ace, Breaker, Deep-Six, and Airtight at a restaurant's front door. "Boy, oh, boy. I can smell that Hibachi, which they make for all to see." He says to them. "Ojamashimasu." He says to the staff as he and the other four enter.

"Irasshimase, ogyakus...Masaka?! Oi mina, G.I. Joe da!" A worker says outloud and Deep-Six tries to leave, but Roadblock grabs the back of his collar.

"Maji de?"/"Mite, kaasan, yo jou desu!"/"Regarde, chérie, ils ont raison!"/"Anata no sekini koho no tenshitei kudasai, ogyakusama-tachi." Two locals, a french tourist, and a waitress say to them.

"Arigato. Come on guys, she's showing us to our spot." Roadblock tells them.

* * *

In another spot, Cover-Girl was with Spirit and Snake-Eyes. "What's going on over there?" The tracker asks her, seeing a crowd in the distance.

"Not sure, want to look?" She asks him.

"Our downtime is like a drying lake...but it's not empty yet." He replies, and they head over and see people dressed in costumes.

Snake-Eyes writes in his notebook. They're cos-players.

"And, those are?" Spirit asks, and a person next to him in a blue and white outfit* replies.

"It's like Halloween, just no candy. Not for your mouth, anyway." The person says.

"You American, too?" Cover-Girl asks him.

"Uh-huh. Seymour Fine, on leave from Okinawa...Feb. 27, 1978?" The man says before leaning forward a bit.

"Not another one; yeah, i was. What about it, geekwad?" She asks him.

* * *

In Hokkaido while on his way to aid Lady-Jaye and Bazooka, Quick-Kick sees a person in red clothes with a black dragon pattern on it jump into the sidecar of his Silver Mirage, and pulls over. "Kora! Dare da?!" He asks after doing a back flip.

"Damare. Kono Kobura no inu wa watashi no eimono. Jama da, G.I. Joe." The person tells him.

"...Moushikousite, onna?" He asks next as he reaches for his Katana.

"Damare ieten daiyo**, kisama!" The person shouts, and charges him, Wakizashi drawn.

The two exchange sword blows, during which he starts to think that he recognizes his attacker's moves until a police car arrives, and the person runs off. He "explains" that it was for a show, and heads for the shrine Flint told him about.

"Quick-Kick...your late."

"Rush hour traffic."

* * *

In the prison, Quick-Kick is about to jump for the extinguisher when they hear running. "Aka-shoujo?" Quick-Kick asks, seeing the person from before.

"Friend of yours, Quick-Kick?" Lady-Jaye asks him.

The person grabs the extinguisher and freezes the snakes. "No, just someone not on Cobra's side." The person says, then breaks them out. The person stops Taeko and raises her sleeve to show a mark on her wrist.

"...Naruhodo." Taeko says quietly and is discreetly handed a shuriken by her.

* * *

While Flint is digging, a Crimson Guardsman is lining him up in his sights, he shoots from his silencer equipped rifle, only for the bullet to be cut in half by the red clad girl. "Nani; kono!" The C.G. says, as he reaches for a handgun, only for her to charge and slash his throat open and be four feet behind him by the time he raised it.

* * *

After the conference ended, the Joes are at the restaurant. "Thiss socky shtuff's bitter." Bazooka says, and Taeko snorts.

"That's sake. Alcohol will do that to you, Bazuka-san." She explains.

"Dis stuv's beer?" Gung-Ho asks, having been dipping his octopus parts in it.

The next day, Bazooka wakes up and felt his forehead. "Oh, head hurts." He says, and lowers his hand...only to feel something warm. "Hmm, uh-oh." He looks down to see his hand on Taeko's chest, she wakes up and both scream.

Flint and Gung-Ho rush in, and see the two, each babbling and crouched in a different corner, and Gung-Ho starts laughing. "Ah think ahr pal jest made some fo'an relashuns."

"Care to explain this, Bazooka?" Flint asks, with narrowed eyes.

"Please, do not blame him, Furinto-taichou! I was too tired to leave, and tend to roll about in my sleep." Taeko tells him while in a dogeza***.

* * *

When the Joes return to the Japan-Joe branch's airfield, Flint and Scarlett are checking them as they board. They see Thunder wave goodbye to some local woman while Clutch sneers at him. "Sayonara, Chizuru!" Thunder says.

"Sayonara, Sanda-kun!" The woman says back.

Roadblock has a bunch of cookbooks.

Flint lets him pass while Scarlett writes it down.

Spirit walks up with some smaller books and a box for some robot model kit.

"What are those?" Flint asks him.

"Something called manga, and Votoms." Spirit replies. Flint lets him pass when Scarlett nods and writes that down.

They then see Bazooka holding a hand over the bottom of his rocket launcher. "Do de do de do, i got nuttin here." He says aloud.

"Ba~zoo~ka." Flint says in a warning tone.

"Aw, nertz." Bazooka says as he hands it over. Flint tilts it, and candy and snacks come out.

Flint raises an eyebrow while Scarlett and the others chuckle. "What's this stuff?" He asks.

"Dog-a-see." Bazooka replied with a grin as he picked some up.

Flint looks to Lady-Jaye, who is next in line. "He means dagashi." She tells him.

"Oh; and this is more "manga", right?" He asks her, and takes one from her javelin pack.

"No, wait!" She says, but too late.

"...Good god, that's disgusting!" He says as he shuts it and throws it as if it were another Cobra bomb and wipes his hands his pants.

"Yaoi, right?" Scarlett asks in Lady-Jaye's ear, and she nods. She leads her a few feet away and smirks. "No prob. Peach has some more hidden in the Wolvy."

* * *

A month later at a field, H.I.S.S. tanks are moving. Taeko and two others are watching them from behind a tree. "Kobura sensha haken. Roku...Go...Yon...San...Ni...Ichi. Dai go ju hachi Suraga tai, utae!".

After the Sluggers knock them out of action, she turns to the radioman next to her. "Fidobaku****, tae yo kaeshitei. Koitsu ga Waia Kata, Kobura no sensha wa hakai suru."

"Wagata. Kyu buntai de machi awasei." The voice ordered.

"Ryoukai. Fidobaku, Fakusu Horu*****, mobu outo." Taeko, now Wire Cutter, orders.

"Go, G.I. Joe!" The other two reply.

* * *

Chapter eleven. Read and review.

*Dressed as Amuro Rey from Gundam's first show.

**Should be i told you to be quiet, but PM me if i spelled it wrong, please.

***Pose for asking for pardoning.

****Feedback.

*****Fox Hole.


	12. Downtime part eighteen

Sit-reps.

* * *

After getting back, Lady-Jaye heads to Flash's work area. "You got a moment?" She asks him.

"I should say so; why?" He asks back while working on one of the HERO 2000's he bought a few months earlier.

"While i was over there, i was doing some practice with close quarter weapons, and I've been thinking that maybe you could rig one up in jav-form?"

"I suppose, what are you referring to?"

"Just a little something called a naginata."

* * *

In the assembly room of Joe H.Q., Flint has started a slideshow of the time before and after the security detail work they got back from. "And start. This first one is at the airbase unloading the Dragonfly's and V.A.M.P.'s." He says first, showing one with Wild Bill and some JSDF personnel sliding the cargo sleds with the first two being removed from the C-130. The audience showed little reaction.

"And the second is of Snake-Eyes, Scarlett, and Quick-Kick demonstrating CQC for the troops there." He said next, showing one with Quick-Kick flying past Scarlett, who dodged, while Snake-Eyes watched from the right.

"Eh, we saw that when Clutch, Dusty, and Footloose tried to pose as orderlies for last week's physicals." Shipwreck said as he leaned to Barbecue, who shushed him.

Having not heard it, Flint continued. "This one is Cover-Girl demonstrating an alteration to the Wolverine, known as the Lynx. Considering the whole base's roster was watching, I'm sure we'll be getting order-form's for them soon." He said, showing one which had a different turret on it, one with a Mauler cannon on it. That, and not noticing the troops attention was more on the demonstrator than it was on the vehicle.

"...Next, please." Duke suggested, since he was one of those who did notice.

"Next is at the conference just before it began." Flint said, showing the representative from Italy arguing with the one from Austria, while the Latvian one was doing the same with the Swedish one.

"Yawn, they should have been here two days ago." Shipwreck said to Sparks, who was infront of him.

"Awk, BSG better than Knightrider." Polly added.

"Is not, ya featherduster!" Shipwreck replies as he reached for the bird.

"Quiet; both of you!" Duke shouted.

Flint then showed the "after" slides. "This is us after the disarmament task, at the Hiroshima memorial with the regional commander." He said, causing him and some other Joes to think of relatives who were involved with the war 40 years earlier.

After 2 or so minutes, he continued. "And this is Ace, Snake-Eyes, and Breaker at Toho studios." He showed four slides of them infront of displays of the Godzilla movie from last year. One of Snake-Eyes next to what looked like a blue cat, four kids, a pterodactyl, and three aircraft. The third was him and Ace by a Lupin poster, and the fourth was of Breaker watching some employees work.

"After that, Cover-Girl, Lady-Jaye, and Scarlett tried on some local clothes." He said, getting some applause before showing them saluting in JSDF uniforms, and getting a different reaction.

"Boo, where's the real stuff?!"/"Yeah man, get to the kimono's, why don'cha?"/"We want a fashion show!". Shipwreck, Footloose, and Snow-Job all say.

"Sit down, or you can have a strip show with some spud's for the next week!" Duke shouted.

Flint then showed the trio in kimono and hanten, kendo armor, and karate gi's, of which only the first and third got any reaction. "Far out!, Look at them go!" Rock 'n Roll said, as they see Lady-Jaye toss Cover-Girl.

"Bet Flint wishes it was him." Frostbite says to Heavy Metal, who snickered.

"And this one is Gung-Ho apologizing after he confused some Ainu villagers for Russians. For those who don't know, the Ainu are the Japanese equivalent of the Navajo, or the Ottawa, or the Inuit." Flint said to them, and went on when they all finish commenting.

"And here is Roadblock talking shop with some staff at a restaurant in Kobe." He says, showing the man in a kitchen with some employees watching him.

At this point, Breaker's voice came in over the intercom. "Duke, Flint, hate to interrupt, but I've just been informed that a volcano just erupted in Chile a few hours ago. Command wants us to send some troops and supplies, asap."

While the crowd is in shock over that Duke heads to a phone. "I got it, thanks.", "Tollbooth, get some of the Greens, your going to Chile!"

* * *

At the same time in a Cobra base, Scrap Iron and Storm Shadow are doing the same thing. "And here we are in disguise at a museum." Storm Shadow says, showing Scrap Iron looking at a Dogu statuette.

"And here we are flying over Honno-ji, where the great Oda Nobunaga made his last stand." He said next, and sees most of the crowd, and even Cobra Commander sleeping. "...And here is where i use those of you not paying attention for sparring practice!" He says, pressing down on an airhorn.

* * *

Also at the same time, the three women were inside a M.O.B.A.T. "Spill it, brownie. Where were you and Flint after getting back from that onsen?" Cover-Girl asks Lady-Jaye, who gulped.

"...Us? Well just...watching some music, listening to shows. Boring stuff like that." She said unconvincingly.

"Uh-huh, and not having any kind of fun at all, with no brass looking over your shoulder?" Scarlett asked next. "That's just lame."

"You're just mad that Duke wasn't there for you to knock army boots with...Daingead!" Lady-Jaye said, then realizing she was baited and covering her face before shoving Scarlett. "What are you making me say?!"

"Woo, way to go, Alison!" Cover-Girl shouts, making Lady-Jaye growl and cover her mouth.

"Don't you start with me, peach. At least i don't **do it** with something with wheels on it." She tells her, while being glad they were unaware that this was really her second time.

"Cuts down on the man-nagging." Cover-Girl replied with a shrug and a smirk.

* * *

Chapter fifteen. Read and review.


	13. Captives of Cobra part 1

Sit-reps.

* * *

At a Cobra hide-out, one of the Tele-Vipers is having his coffee break when he gets a message. "T.V. 77 to T.V. 110, have just evacuated MB* 61 due to a miscalculation, the site has been destroyed. Inform the Commander that the piezoelectric crystal's have been lost, and have him send a surveillance unit to confirm the extent once the locals finish investigation."

T.V. 110 sends an acknowledgement, and heads to find him. "Commander, MB 61 was just lost." 110 says, his visor reading: Uh-oh, snafu in progress.

"What?! How the hell did **they** find it?" Cobra Commander asked in fury.

"Not the Joes this time, just an accident somehow; they want us to monitor the site once the town near it finishes it's initial sweep." 110 replies.

"...Very well, dispatch a F.A.N.G. and an A.S.P. with long range camera equipment on it." Cobra Commander ordered once he calmed down.

* * *

Following the discovery of the explosive crystal, and the Baroness's suggestion, he thinks back.

Flashback.

At a healing center in Cobra-La, the person who would become Cobra Commander is led in; his appearance stuns and frightens everyone, including his family once they arrive. "There's nothing you can do?" One man in elaborate clothes asks, while three others wait nervously behind him.

"I'm afraid not. Whatever he was working on is a state secret; neither he, nor his superiors will tell us anything. And that's assuming it would help if we did know." The medic tells him.

"Can we see him?" The man asks.

The medic pauses. "I suppose, but i warn you, his current state will be...unpleasant, the damage is to his head only, but still..." He tells him.

Once in the patient's room. "Father...No, don't look at me!" The person shouts, covering his face.

"So hideous, can this really be our son?" Asks a woman in similar clothes, and the medic nods.

"No, i will not allow this...abomination to bear our family name!, Have it put down before nightfall!" The man yells while pointing to the future Commander.

"Wait, you can't! father, mother!" The person pleaded.

"Silence, i have only two offspring now; i would kill you myself if i did not fear contamination." The man tells him, and the rest leave, only the youngest looking back for a few seconds.

Back to the present.

"Consider this a favor, Joes; family life is all illusionary, anyway." Cobra Commander says to himself.

* * *

At the Cobra base's chopper pad, Storm Shadow is with the Commander and Scrap Iron, the latter of whom is next to a box-like object. "What may i ask is this thing?" Storm Shadow asked.

"This here is a copy of one of the labor robots at The Pentagon; on the outside, anyway." Scrap Iron says, with a grin.

"And...the inside?"

"Due to the size, it's only push pedals and a gas dispenser." Scrap Iron explains. "Go on, try it." The Cobra ninja glances to him and the "machine", then rolls his eyes, gets in, and shuts it. "All cozy in there?" Scrap Iron asks.

"No." Storm Shadow replies.

"Primo! All yours, Weasel!" Scarp Iron says next.

"Wait, don't you do that...Scrap Iron? Fuzakenna!" Storm Shadow yells as he feels himself being picked up. "I'm going to kick his ass when i get back."

* * *

At The Pentagon, General Abernathy is in a hall when he hears the alarm, and sounds of a person running. He sees a person in white clothes, and pulls his handgun out. "Stop right-" He shouts before Storm Shadow runs off, he chases the Cobra ninja outside and sees him on a Rattler's rope ladder, as well as a couple more M.P.'s showing up. "Open fire!, Don't let them get away!" Unfortunately, they are unable to stop him. Abernathy swears and heads back inside to the computer room, where some medics, Col. Sharp, and Morelli are. "Did you find out what he was doing?"

"Yes, sir. He went through the personal records of the Joe team; got eight profiles, sir." Morelli tells him.

"Warn Duke immediately...Was any of it his, Flint's, or Beachhead's?" Sharp asks.

"No, none of them. Only the real names of Scarlett, Quick-Kick, Barbecue, Thunder, Shipwreck, Spirit, and Gung-Ho before the failsafe kicked in." Morelli replied.

"Damn it. Have a new version created while your at it." Abernathy ordered.

"Yes, sir." Morelli said, and ran off for the communication's room.

"You think this could be related to that report about the crystal's they mentioned earlier?" Abernathy asks Sharp.

"Don't know; could have been a separate project, could be for a diversion. I'll go after Morelli and ask them." The Col. replied as he left.

* * *

In a room at WRAMC, Beachhead is in a wheelchair leaving a restroom when he is called to the lobby, and sees Abernathy. "Yer outta breath; wut's da matteh, General?" He asks him.

"There was a break-in at a Pentagon computer, background info on 7 Joes was stolen." Abernathy answered.

"Those dirty ass snakes di'nt git mine, did they?" Beachhead asked, nearly toppling himself.

"No, yours, Duke's, and Flint's bios are safe. We've informed them, and are working on it." Abernathy replied.

* * *

At Joe H.Q., Flint is in his office when he hears Duke's phone ring, he runs in and answers. "Flint here."

He hears Morelli. "You?, Where's Duke, i got an urgent message for him."

"He's at the site of the Cobra base; ordered Dusty and Footloose to leave with a padded container he wanted for an experiment a few hours ago." Flint tells him.

"Warn him that Cobra has stolen Joe background data, 7 of them!" Morelli replies.

"7?!, Who?" After being told the names, he thanks Morelli, and hangs up to call the monitor room. "Lady-Jaye, get Duke, this is an emergency." He says, and hears someone else.

"Will do, what's the problem?" Lady-Jaye tells him.

"Word from Washington, Cobra has Joe background data." He said next, making her gasp.

"Oh my god. I'll get him on now, who's was it?" She asks, and gets Duke on the radio once Flint gives her the names.

* * *

At the crystal site, Duke is getting the news from the Dragonfly's comm. "Seven of them?! Alright, I'll let the guys here know. Over." He tells Lady-Jaye, and she tells Flint.

"Ok, once Breaker or Sparks is back on duty, take an A.T.V. to pick them up. We'll head to the briefing room as soon as they get back. Over." He tells her.

"Ok, I'll let the other six know to rendezvous at the halfway point and pick them up on the way there. Over." She replies.

"Good thinking. Over." He says before she hears Duke speaks up again.

"One more thing; let everyone know, effective immediately, that we will be sticking to codenames only, no more firsts or lasts. Understood? Over."

"...Yes, sir. Over." Lady-Jaye says after relaying it to Flint.

After getting Duke's orders, Lady-Jaye begins the recalls. First was Torpedo, who was doing part time work. "Ok, next step is to begin compression's on the chest, like so." He says, and acts it out on a practice dummy. "Any volunteers?"

4 people raise their hands. "Okay...you, number 3." He says, picking a 14 year old boy. After he does so, Torpedo speaks again. "Very good, kid."

He pats the kid on the back. "Next, pinch his nose and breath into his mouth."

Once the volunteer does that, Torpedo and the other people clap. "And that ends your lessons in CPR."

The kid smiles. "Now i know." He says.

"And knowing is-" Torpedo is about to say when his pager goes off. "Shit. Hey Ross, i have to get back to the mainland; take over, will ya?"

* * *

At Mutt's hometown, he is walking Junkyard when a lady with a border collie walks down her driveway. "Whoa, must be that new neighbor my sis mentioned." He thinks to himself. "What was her name again?, Is that a male or female dog?, Should i ask?, Gonna ask." He straightens his jacket out, takes a step forward, and his pager goes off. Once he looks up, he sees her going across the street. He glares at his pager. "Damn piece of crap chunk of plastic." He grumbles, and Junkyard barks. "I would too have had a shot with her."

* * *

At Bazooka's apartment, he is reading a recent addition to the newspaper. "Haha, seventy three?, everyone knows three plus seven is thirty seven*." His pager goes off. "Oh, shoot. Too noisy."

* * *

At Cover-Girl's house, she's with two friends, one from high school, and one from her old job. "Really, this girl's going through the roof?" She asks the second one.

"Sure is, peach, Cindy said she was a bit nervous at how popular Ms. MacBride is getting." The second replied.

"Anyway, how was your over-sea's trip?, Meet any samurai guys?" The first one asks, when the pager goes off while on the floor.

"Ohh, that'll have to wait; army stuff, you know." Cover-Girl says, and breathes a sigh of relief as she heads for the garage.

* * *

In Rock 'n Roll's garage, he is practicing with his old band.

I see your money on the floor I felt the pocket change though all  
The feelings that broke through that door just didn't seem to be too real

Gardening at night  
Gardening at night  
Gardening at night

Your sister said that you're too young  
She should know she's been there twice  
The call was two and fifty-one  
They said it couldn't be arranged

Before the next verse, one of them stops and taps his shoulder. "Hey bro, i think you got a call."

Rock looks down and shakes his head. "Take five, dudes, gotta head back to the ol' office."

* * *

Later, at the rendezvous point.

"How long till she gets here?" Shipwreck asks the other five.

"11 seconds, I'd say." Barbecue replied while pointing down the road.

"Any word on the robbery, Lady-Jaye?" Thunder asks after she lowers the ramp.

"Just that we've alerted our flyboys and the Greens to monitor Cobra's movements before i left." She answers. "Duke also says those rocks of his are worse than we thought."

"That's a relief; the first part, i mean." Quick-Kick says.

"Now then; all aboard...next stop, Mount Kaboom." She tells them as the six head up the ramp. "Also, he says it's codenames only from now on."

"He did?, It will take some getting used to, but alright." Scarlett says, then looks back. "You guys agree?" They all say yes, and Scarlett sits down with her roommate at the wheel. "Right then; Yo Joe, to crystal-ville, we go!"

* * *

While the group is on it's way, the relatives of the compromised Joes are in the cells. "Who is that?, Are you in charge here, lady?" Barbecue's dad asks.

"Yes i am, Mr. Kelly." The Baroness tells him as she turns to face him and the others.

"What do they have to gain from interfering with an on-duty fireman?" He asks next.

"You should be wondering what i want with your son." She says, then looks to the others. "Or yours; not to mention your daughter...your grandson...your uncle."

"But why, our boy is only a stuntman." Mr. Ito asks her.

"Is that what he told you?" She scoffs. "Or, is it what G.I. Joe ordered him to say?"

"G.I...He's with that army group we've been hearing about?!"

"That's right, and he's currently on his way to deal with these." The Baroness says, as she turns on a projector showing the site.

"What the hel-?" Thunders dad asks, before being elbowed by his wife, who pointed to a boy in another cell. "Oh. I mean, what are those?"

"Those are from a failed crystal production facility. They are highly unstable, and must be taken back by us." She explains.

"And you expect us to be your hostages while you do that?" One of Scarlett's brothers asks.

"Hardly, i will make you take them for us." She tells him.

"We are?" One crimson guardsman asks.

"Right, i didn't bother telling you." She says to him. "With the machine over there; a hypnotic inducer." She tells the hostages. "Start with the boy!"

"You wouldn't?!" Spirit's cousin says, as another guardsman unlocks the cell.

"You mess with me, and my uncle'll make you sorry!"

"Have you no shame?!"

"Let him go, ye bastahds!"

* * *

At "Crsytal-ville", Lady-Jaye and the six of them arrive. "Your late." Duke says as he walked over.

"Sorry, Duke; took a wrong turn at Albuquerque." Lady-Jaye tells him in a cartoony voice.

"I'll bet." He replied as he folds his arms.

"This way; and no touching the goods, please." Alpine tells them as they walk out.

"Wow, thats it? It's beautiful." Scarlett says outloud.

"Yeah, well, it's also just short of atomic. That 4-foot crater there...was from a piece the size of a quarter that Tripwire tossed." Tollbooth tells them.

"Damn near sent dat-dere boulder over da edge, too." Wild Bill added.

"Yeesh, worst cliff hanger ever." Quick-Kick said back.

"Anything else of note?" Spirit asks.

"Just that we were being spied on, Bill spotted a glint on the way here that turned out to be from an A.S.P. with a telescope on it. Took it out, but not sure how long it was there." Dusty answered.

"Alright, let the A.C.E. guys deal with that; we gotta get these loaded up, they're already 7 times the size they were when Tripwire finished chopping them up." Duke ordered. Once the crystals are aboard, Duke reports to Sparks. "This is **Parade Float 1** ; the **Displays** are **Aboard** , headed to the **Big Show**. Over."

" **Reporter** here, i read you. Over and out." Sparks says while Flint stood next to him. "What do you think the odds that the fang heads won't risk it?'

"A big fat zero." Flint replied from his seat. "God help them." He says, and thinks while tapping his knee with a thumb. "Please be careful, Ali."

While headed down, Gung-Ho looks to his left. "Ah can't buhleev dey'd put a base here wit dat big ass rock."

"Obviously picked the spot for that reason, as insurance incase we showed up." Lady-Jaye says as she looked to her right.

* * *

At Washington.

"Say again, Duke?, Not sure i heard right." Morelli asks after being told who was stopping the A.T.V.

"You heard me, Jack. They're family members of the Joes Storm Shadow found out about!" Duke replied. "The ones outside right now facing them!"

General Abernathy sneers. "Those bastards; this is a new low, even for them."

"Agreed, but...wait, Scarlett and the rest are trying something." Duke says to him. "Watch yourself, Shana." He thinks while clenching the wheel.

"Who do you suppose came up with this?" Tripwire asks.

"Only dat four-eyed rooskie bitch'd be sick enuf ta pull somthin' laik dis!" Gung-Ho tells him as both look back.

* * *

At the Cobra monitoring post.

"Very well." Dr. Marks says in a resigned tone and raises the control wave output. "Better memorize the escape route incase this fails. No way they'll let me live for this." He thinks, as propaganda of various torture methods runs through his head.

* * *

Back in the A.T.V.

"Dammit, it didn't work!, Get out of there!" Duke yells as one of the Mirage cycles explodes.

"We have to let them back in, C...I mean, Duke." Lady-Jaye tells him while pointing to the scene.

"There's no time for that." He tells her, then looks back. "Gung-Ho, take over the rear controls."

"Got'cha."

"Take route B!"

"But that's a dirt road, any bad bump could set off the crystals."

"We've got to try it, we need to buy Scarlett and the others some time to stop their families."

Outside with the Mirage's after Spirit finishes speaking with Duke. "When i get whoever did this, I'll pull the asshole's arm off and beat the rest of 'em to death with it!" Shipwreck yelled as he looked back.

"Save one for me, I'll show the sorry shit's not to do that to my parents." Quick-Kick tells him.

"Same for me!" Thunder adds. "No one touches my baby sister and lives!"

* * *

At Joe H.Q.'s monitor room, the others are watching the scene from a feed from Station Delta. "Those sons of bitches, they were gonna do that to all our folks." Cover-Girl growls.

"Like mine?" Steeler asks as he starts sweating.

"Or my aunt and uncle." Roadblock says, being glad Cobra overlooked them.

"They better be glad they didn't get my kids; I'd tear the fangs out of them." Mainframe says from a sidescreen.

"Or mine." Stalker says, having been divorced 7 years longer then Mainframe has.

"Quiet! We have to deal with this calmly." Flint tells them, despite feeling the same way. "Sparks, any luck tracing the signal?"

"Fraid not, they have a dozen of them, I've only been able to rule out three of them." He replies.

"Then work faster, we have to keep the civilians and the truck safe!" Flint said.

While going on route B, Gung-Ho and Tripwire are discussing the ride. "No, it could set off the crystals."

"Aw, yer rait; but if we can't go through it, it's oveh we go."

"Not so fast up there." Duke says from his and Lady-Jaye's position.

"Quiet, ahm busy here!" Gung-Ho says back before he is warned about the cargo again.

"We're sliding; we should abandon ship, forget those rocks!" Lady-Jaye tells Duke.

"Nothing doing, we're staying put and that's final!" He tells her while he hears Tripwire talking about wings.

* * *

Above the road, in Wild Bill's Dragonfly. "Headquarters, come in. Da gas ain't werkin; wait, der headed fer the truck." He says, then switches channels. "Wild Bill ta Parade Float, they're a'headin' yer way, boss."

"I copy, but Gung-Ho's driving might do us in first." Duke replies when Lady-Jaye's head hits the dashboard. "Jaye, you alright?"

"I'm fine, just a little bruise. Got other things to worry about; appreciate it, though." She tells him while holding her forehead.

Back with Tripwire and Gung-Ho. "It's almost in the red zone; needle, don't move another inch."

"At'a baby; that's it, that's it."

"Gung-Ho, can you get us across?"

"Well if ah don't, yoo can kiss that 10 dollah's i owe yoo goodbyeh."

"Keep the 10 buck's, pal, you just earned 'em."

* * *

At the same time, at the Falcone house, some national guard troops show up. "Might i ask what this is about?" Kyle asks them.

"Mr. Falcone, Washington sent us; seems certain people's family members have been abducted." The first, with a Green Beret insignia tells him.

"What?, If whoever it is comes after us...Mind if i sign up?" Vincent asks him.

* * *

While that's going on, Scarlett gets her walkie talkie out. "Flint, we need to immobilize them somehow."

"Dusty here, one of the crates we left had a net we packed before we knew what we were dealin' with."

She looks to the others, and replies, then looks up. "Wild Bill, head to the base camp and get that net loaded."

"Will do, ma'am." He says, and heads back to the site where some corps of engineer's are still working.

He gets out and heads toward them. "Pardon me, boys, need the crate wit' the net in it."

* * *

At Joe H.Q.

"Ah get 'em, H.Q. Where ya want me ta drop 'em off?" Wild Bill asks as he heads over the water.

"Try the town's stadium, I had the national guard there lock it down." Breaker replies, having took over for Sparks.

"Rog-Huh?" Wild Bill asks as he looks down.

"What are they doing down there?" Flint asks after he takes the mic.

"Some kind a' energy destroyin' da net...Holy shit, they all in free fall, Ah can't look!" He shouts and turns away.

"Oh god, how could they do that!" Cover-Girl yelled out and buried herself in Blowtorch's shoulder while other Joes react in disgust and anger.

* * *

At the lake, some unaware fishermen are watching the events. "Those stunt guys are falling. You see the camera yet, Seth?" One man asks another with binoculars.

"Still nothing, that Lansberg fella must be hiding somewhere." The other replies.

"Oh well...think we're close enough to be seen?" A third asks, when a beeping is heard from the first man.

"Yer phone's goin' off, Evan." A fourth says as he points to the first's pocket.

"Right; got to go. Later, guys." 'Evan' says, and heads for a shack, only for a Moray to burst out.

"Watch it...When did he go Hollywood?" 'Seth' asks as they went prone.

"Beats me, but he's...wow, that thing has a net on it. Wouldn't mind a boat like that." The third says.

* * *

Inside the Cobra site.

"You have soldiers, use them."

Dr. Marks turns the screen off and leaves the room. "You there, they're outside! Buy me some time to...to set self destruct." He tells the Blue-shirt contingent, which is a bluff.

"Whatever you say, doc. Move it, men; take 'em out, and get out of the blast radius. Cobra!" The leader shouts, and leads his squad to the door, once they are gone, Dr. marks take a rod and hides while praying for his life.

* * *

Chapter thirteen. Read and review.

*MB=Mindbender.


	14. Captives of Cobra part 2

Sit-reps.

* * *

In the A.T.V.

"Watch it, you could hav...Oh no, they're shooting the door!" Duke shouts before he looks to his left.

"Take the wheel, get us out of here." Lady-Jaye tells him.

"We can't, they shot out two tires." He replies, pointing to a pressure gauge.

"Duke, those laser blasts are going to blow the crystals sky-high!" Tripwire then sees them stop, and one pick something up. "No, no, don't do it, kid!"

Duke turns. "What is...She wouldn't?!"

"What's happ...oh my god; not the boy!" Lady-Jaye yells as she watches Jesse walk forward with a rock.

* * *

At Joe H.Q., Breaker is listening to Tripwire. "The boy's doing what?!" He asks, then slams the panel.

"This has gone far enough. Wild Bill, get over there and...and strafe them." Flint says, causing all the others to stare in shock, before they look down in resignation.

"What?!, Flint, shut up god damn it or i swear I'll kill ya!" Shipwreck yells over the radio.

"We have no choice now. Dusty, Footloose, get Duke's team out of there." Flint orders before Scarlett cuts in.

"Yes we do, Flint. Joes, knock out the computer."

"But that snake said if we mess with the machine, we'll destroy their minds."

"Dah, he was bluffing."

"But, if he wasn't?"

"There's no time to argue."

"Fire!"

* * *

At the A.T.V.

"Dun' do it, kid!" Gung-Ho shouts.

"Jesse, no...alright, Baroness, you win, we'll-" Duke says, but then they hear the captives groaning.

"Thank god, it worked." Tripwire says aloud.

"Yahoo; guess ya don't need to do nuttin' to Flint after all, Sailorman." Wild Bill tells Shipwreck.

Lady-Jaye wipes tears of joy and steps out. "Our guys destroyed the machine."

"Ah wouldn' git da sam'pane jest yet, dat kid still has da rock!" Gung-Ho tells them.

"Smash them, do it!" The Baroness yells.

"Stop it, he's just a child!" Thunder's sister screamed upward.

"You heard her, let him go!" Quick-Kick's dad says.

"That is not my concern, do as i say!" The Baroness yells again, while The Twins, still not entirely over the shell ordeal, contemplate whether they should bump her off or not.

"Should we do the..." Tomax thinks.

"Right thing, and..." Xamot thinks next.

"Dispose of her and return to base?" Both think.

"Destro would not be pleased." Tomax thinks.

"But it would mean one less to share the profits with." Xamot adds.

"True, but we'd also lose one of The Commander's anchors to keep him from going overboard, so let's..." Tomax thinks.

"Keep her alive for the time being, very well." Xamot thinks, finishing the mental debate.

"Smash them, you little shit!" The Baroness screeched to the now freed Jesse.

"I am not a...You were gonna make me say a bad word, you butt-face old lady!" Jesse says to her and drops the rock.

"Old...lady?!" She yelled.

"Easy there..." Xamot says as he laughed mentally.

"Mind your blood press-" Tomax says, before she flips them off and kicks him in the shin, making both react.

* * *

Back on the ground after Duke passes the standard rifles, Footloose turns to Spirit's grandfather after he held up the special made laser rifles. "You, like, got any experience with that, Shaman dude?"

After a blank stare, he sticks his chest out. "I was once a sniper in the 2nd army under Pershing*, young man. That enough for you?"

"Works for me, man." Footloose replies and give a thumbs up.

"I was a paratrooper with the 75th back in '51*." Scarlett's dad says.

"And i was BAR-man in the 296th*, so let's get 'em." Quick-Kick's dad added before the Rattlers start firing.

"Scatter! Lady-Jaye, Tripwire, get to those turret's!" Duke ordered as the others run off.

"Vena, get the boy somewhere safe!" Mr. Ironknife said.

"Yes grandfather, hurry Jesse!" She says.

* * *

In the Joe cargo helicopter after Lady-Jaye's SOS. "What's the word, Greeny?" Barbecue asks Green-Shirt Sikorski.

"Hard to say, but they're themselves again; ought to count for something." Sikorski replied.

"Then be swift as the breeze." Spirit tells him.

"Sure thing, Tonto; Yo Joe!" Sikorski says back.

"...And your mouth sealed like the clam." Spirit scowled.

* * *

In the heli-carrier, the Twins are ordered to extend the grapplers. "Let's make it slow, brother..." Tomax thinks.

"Very slow, we wouldn't want..." Xamot thinks.

"The crystals to collide or anything..." Tomax thinks.

"Now, would we?" Both think and wink.

* * *

In one Rattler, the pilot sees someone in a red shirt running. "I got you, midget. Eat lea...What; Shit, that was a kid i was shooting at?!" He asks himself as he looks back.

"Nevermind his age; kill all of them or I'll kill you, you hear me?!" The Baroness shouted.

* * *

In the heli-carrier.

"Your doing it too slow." She tells the Twins.

"Any faster would cause..." Tomax says.

"Too much vibration, just like..." Xamot says.

"Your poor old bones, Baroness." Both say, making her growl.

"Shut up damn you, and raise the speed!"

* * *

On the ground after sending Vena and Jesse away. "Oh great spirit, steady my hand once more." Mr. Ironknife says to himself and fires, killing the pilot shooting at the Dragonfly.

* * *

In the heli-carrier.

"Uh, we seem to have..." Xamot says.

"Don't make me shoot him, Toma..." The Baroness shouts, getting his name wrong before noticing the incoming problem.

"The crystals are going to explode."

"Cut us loose, and get us out of here."

In the carrier's bridge. "You heard her. Ascend now; left full rudder!" The captain orders to the helmsmen.

* * *

At Joe H.Q. Colonel Sharp, who after Gung-Ho reported the A.T.V.'s tires were shot up, hears Duke saying the vehicle was falling, and then the silence. "Get them back!" He shouts to Breaker.

"No good, sir, too much interference. Or they'r-" He says back, but is interrupted.

"Don't you finish that, got it!" Cutter tells him as he reached for him, but is stopped by Stalker.

"At ease! Don't blame him for that."

"...Fine. Sorry about that." Cutter tells Breaker.

"No prob, i get that a lot." Breaker says, and hands him some of his gum before trying the radio again. "Reporter to Parade Manager, do you read me? Over."

After two more times, Ripcord is heard. "This is Ripcord; All Joes and civ's accounted for!"

The Joes who have them all toss their hats in the air as they celebrate. "Haha!"/"Yo Joe!"/"Thank god."

* * *

As the civilians head toward the helicopters, Quick-Kick's parents walk toward him. "Mac~Ar~thur! You are in trouble, young man!" His dad says. "You lied to us!"

"You're not gonna tell sis, are you?" Quick-Kick asks as he attempts to hides behind his mom, only for her to smack him on the head.

"You better believe it, Mr. G.I. Joe. It will be Muchiuchi with the plastic broom for you!" Mrs. Ito tells him, making him grab his rear-end in reflex.

At Joe H.Q., the civilians exit the helicopters and look around. "So this is your base, Ga-I mean, Barbecue?" Mr. Kelly asks.

"It's so cool...What is it?" Jesse says as he runs over to a Mauler.

"It's called a Mauler, kiddo. Just don't touch it." Heavy Metal tells him before Shipwreck leads him back.

"Pardon us, H.M."

"No big deal."

"Citizens, my name is Colonel Sharp, Pentagon Liaison for G.I. Joe. It may not mean much, if anything; but on behalf of the United States, i offer my sincerest apology for this incident. We've taken strict measures to make sure this never happens again."

"And I'm Warrant Officer Flint, second in command under him." Flint says as he points to Duke.

"That's great and all, but how much horse power does this sucker have?" Mr. Breckinridge asks Clutch, looking at a V.A.M.P. he was leaning against.

"Aw dad, leave that alone!" Thunder says, making the Joes laugh at him.

A while later in the Joe-ette's quarters, Lady-Jaye passes Alice and a random Green-shirt who are watching a sitcom, and heads to the fridge for a beer before explaining.

* * *

In Duke's office, a knock is heard. "Sir, you got a moment?" Sparks asks.

"Yeah, come on in." Duke tells him.

"Sir, the situation got me thinking...I want to resign."

* * *

Elsewhere. "Jesse?, It's time to go!" Shipwreck shouts while looking on the third floor, he heads for an intercom panel on a wall. "Breaker, you see Jesse anywhere?"

"Awk, Shipwreck reeks at hide 'n seek." Polly says.

"One sec...crap, he's in the motor pool!" Breaker replies, and Shipwreck runs off.

In the motor pool, Jesse is moving behind a machine gun P.A.C./R.A.T. before he crawls onto a Wolverine, but is spotted by Green-shirt Blais. "Ain't dat ship's nephew?"

"Hold it, get off that thing now!" Cover-Girl shouts as she jumps over a R.A.M. and the kid starts to panic and falls, but she slides and catches him. "Are you crazy, that's not a toy!"

"I~'m Sorry, ma'am. Don~t tell unc~le Hector, pl~ease!" Jesse asks as he starts bawling.

"Jesse!" Shipwreck shouts as he enters. "What the hell were you thinking, want to give me a heart attack?, Well, do ya?!"

"Back off; he's been through enough, hasn't he?" Cover-Girl tells him as she rubs Jesse's back. "He's fine, by the way. Caught him before he could do anything."

"...Thanks for that. I was just..." Shipwreck says, and Cover-Girl passes Jesse to him.

* * *

After finishing Sparks resignation papers, in a hotel in a city outside the base, Duke arrives after being called by Scarlett. "What do you need?" He asks her, and she grabs him and throws him on a bed.

"This day sucked...I need something for stress relief and you're it." She tells him and kisses him deeply.

While Scarlett and Duke are cuddling after her "session", his DynaTAC rings and he picks it up. "What do ya want?" He grumbles.

"Huh...I interrupting something?" Breaker asks.

"No, forget i said that. What is it?" Duke asks him.

"Well, turns out we only had six families to rescue. Cobra overlooked Gung-Ho's." Breaker explained.

"Gung...did you send a squad to head them off?" Duke asks as he sits up.

"Yes sir, Flint's on his way now." Breaker tells him.

* * *

Out at the LaFitte clan's house, Tripwire and Flint are speaking with the tied up Blue-shirts. "Alright, fang-freaks; we'll untie you if you agree to surrender." Flint tells them, and they look to their right for a moment.

"...You don't suppose they could untie us, do you?" The one who seems to be the squad leader says after he tilts his head toward Gung-Ho's sisters.

"Yeah, let them do it and you got yourself a deal."/"No more Cobra stuff for us; honest." Two Blue-shirts say and the rest all nod while Lady-Jaye rolls her eyes.

* * *

At the P.T. course, Duke and Stalker are watching Shipwreck who is going at it harder than he was before. "Come on, you...sea slugs, that all...ya...got?" He says to Steeler, Zap, Blowtorch, and two Green-shirts.

"This'll be his third run, Duke." Stalker says.

"Third?, Guess we should get him to stop. Go ahead." Duke replied, then Stalker blows a whistle.

"Shipwreck, front and center!"

"What're y-you...stoppin' me for?" Shipwreck asks after he ran over, sweating heavily.

"You need to take a break, Shipwreck." Duke tells him. "I get that you want some payback, but still..."

"Only th...ing i need...is a harder course; this ain't enough." He says back. "Got an...ything more than this?"

Duke thinks, then whispers to Stalker, who goes pale. "Sending him to that guy?"

Shipwreck raises an eyebrow, and Duke explains. "There is one person; but I'll only send you to him if you take a 24 hour break."

"Aw...fine. 24 hours...starting now." Shipwreck replied, and collapsed.

Hours later, he has finished rolling up his parachute and is waving to the jet when he hears something approaching. He turns toward it and sees a small white mini-tank thing, the driver of which is barely visible due to the sun being at his back. "At ease, disease."

* * *

Chapter fourteen. Read and review.

*Made up.


	15. Downtime part nineteen

Sit-reps.

* * *

After reluctantly agreeing to assign Shipwreck to the team's off-base special drill instructor, and leaving Gung-Ho in charge, Duke, Scarlett, Flint, and Lady-Jaye head to the Falcone house since his was having new windows added after a minor twister. "Welcome back, son." Mr. Falcone tells him as he pats his back.

"You had us scared again after that thing with the abductions, Conrad Hauser." His mother says as she pointed at him. "Enough that your little brother went and signed up with that man that was here."

"Aw, why'd you have to go and blab that out for, mom?!" Vince groans as he runs toward the door from the TV room while watching MTV.

"You enlisted?, To who?" Duke asks him. "And please don't use my name, you don't know who's who." He tells his mom, who blanches and covers her mouth.

"...Green beret." Vince replies out of the corner of his mouth.

"That's great, Vinny. Don't you agree, Duke?" Scarlett tells them as they all walk in.

"We got some food i made." Lady-Jaye says next.

"Did you now, what is it?" Mr. Falcone asks while she places some stuff on the table.

"Salmon filet, and pumpkin pie from a co-worker of ours, and semi-Haggis from me." She replies.

"Hey; that one-that one looks like haggis, Faye. Why, i haven't had that since my last get-together with my ol' P-38 squadron in '76." The older Mr. Falcone says. "Last one besides me died a couple month's later, from a train wreck."

"Oh, that's so sad." Lady-Jaye tells him.

"What, uh, what's in this stuff?" Vince asks while he pokes it.

"Normally it has sheep's liver, heart, and lungs." She tells him with a grin, and he pulls his hand back.

"Ah, that's bunk!, Now i gotta wash my hands, you sicko!" Vince says as he runs for the bathroom.

"...This doesn't actually have those last two; Roadblock didn't have any hearts, and the lungs were banned in '71, so i just used ground chuck instead." She explains after laughing at him.

* * *

After getting back, the Joes set up for a belated Halloween, having missed it when guarding the financial conference. Airtight set up the haunted house, while the other get their costumes for a contest.

The contestants: Ace with a paper-mache F-4 around his waist.

Dusty as Starbuck from BSG.

Gung-Ho as The Hulk.

Breaker as Paul Bunyan with Liberty as his ox.

Flint as Sherlock Holmes with Frostbite as Watson.

Rock 'n Roll as one of The Beach Boys.

Steeler as Eddie Cochran, arguing about music with Green-shirt Blais, who went as Bo Duke.

Green-shirt Sikorski as a medieval archer.

Airtight as H.M. Murdock.

Pvt. Lavigne as Alex Rogan.

Cover-Girl as Big Barda, Clutch was a minuteman...who was being hit with her "mega-rod."

Snake-Eyes as a Cylon.

Snow-Job as a wolf-man.

Timber was given wings(which were leaning right) and a halo, Order with a bowler derby, Duty as a tractor, Honoria had a stuffed cowboy on her, and Sgt. Snuffles as a train car.

Duke as a motorcycle cop.

Recondo, Torpedo, Blowtorch, and Stalker were ghost-busters.

Scarlett as Wilma Flintstone.

And Lady-Jaye as Flint.

The contest ended with Snake-Eyes as the winner, with Sgt. Snuffles in second place.

"Watch yerselves, I'll get that frak'n metal head." Dusty says outloud, having a "shoot out" with Snake-Eyes.

"Good thing your not driving, Mrs. Flintstone, or I'd have to give you a ticket." Duke tells Scarlett with a grin.

"Not going to frisk me, officer?" She says back.

"My deduction is that you should arrest this imposter, my good man, for giving me nightmares." Flint tell Duke while poking Lady-Jaye's cheek with his fake pipe.

"What, what did i do, Sir-lock?" "Flint" asks, giving him a small shove.

"You know how disturbing it is seeing myself with boobs?" He asks her. "I'd rather you went as that flamenco dancer again."

"Ow, i give; just quit swinging them at me!" Clutch says while Cover-Girl had the "mega-rod" and Sikorski's plastic short-sword.

"Hey Cover-Girl, hand me one of those, will you?" Lady-Jaye shouts after glaring at Flint's remark.

"And my deduction is that you should get a few Scotland yards out of here." Duke advised.

Steeler and Blais were each in different corners, with the former having a cut lip, and the latter unconscious.

* * *

Chapter fifteen. Read and review.


	16. Getting Slaughter'd

Sit-Reps.

* * *

While Blais and Clutch were being sent to Doc, Shipwreck was at a pull-up bar. "76...77..7-" He was saying before he fell.

"Almost, sailor, take a break to refuel yourself. You get 1 hour, and you will try again." Sgt. Slaughter told him, making him groan, but still nod.

After the break, he does it over. "61...62...6..3..." He counts again while The Sarge yells.

"That all you can do, you damn pathetic piece of fish bait!"

"69...70...7-"

"You think that's gonna keep **them** from messing with your nephew again?!, Keep going!"

"92...93...94-"

"Show the kid **you're** the monster under Cobra's bed!"

"99...100!"

After a quick shower (AKA dumping a bucket over himself), Shipwreck is given a greasegun and the next assignment, which was to clear the Slaughterhouse of plywood targets.

"Now then, sailor, inside are 23 rooms, 17 of which with a rattle ass hiding. Clear it in one half-hour, understand." The Sarge tells him.

"Understood, Sgt." Shipwreck replies with a full salute.

"Then move!"

"Yo Joe!" He rushes in, not seeing anyone in room 1, and heads to the hall. He sees 4 doors, 1 is open. A voice in the back of his mind saying: too obvious, squid. He heads for the closed door across and behind it and ducks in reflex after seeing a, poorly painted, crimson guardsman, which he puts some rounds in before he shrugs to himself. He heads for another closed door, but it is locked, so he busts it open to be sure. He finds nothing, and gulps before turning around to see a Storm Shadow target lower from a gap in the ceiling, and shoots it. "So far, so good." He says, then moves to another room, where he finds three, two Blue-shirts and a hostage. He hits the first before doing a roll and getting the second. "Wonder what other little surprises he has for me?" He asks himself as he goes on.

Once he's back out, The Sarge turns off his stopwatch. "28 minutes, 47 seconds." He says and looks up. "Better than i expected."

"This is my seventh room to room...just, one question." Shipwreck asks.

"Sure, what is it?" The Sarge asks back.

"Who painted those thi-" Shipwreck asks before he is punched and flies back through a window in the conning tower.

* * *

Chapter sixteen. Read and review.


	17. BSAS part 1

Sit-reps.

* * *

Two weeks after Shipwreck returned from his training session, a joint G.I. Joe & Mexican navy wargame has just finished in the north-west Caribbean. "Well, that was a good one, wasn't it?" Torpedo asked while he and Deep-Six get out of their S.H.A.R.C.'s.

"You said it. Those guys there are fiercer than i thought." Ace says, as the diver passes him with a high-five before heading inside the Flagg's island.

"They have to be, with all them cartels ruining the place." Cutter says as he, Alpine, and Bazooka walk out with some gear.

"Off for some angling, i take it?" Ace asks them while the other diver gave a slight glance before walking past.

"Sure are, got Duke's ok and everything." Alpine replied.

"Wanna join?" Bazooka asked, holding some bait in the pilot's face.

"Um, no thanks." Ace tells him, grimacing while Cutter shakes his head in amusement.

* * *

While the trio's W.H.A.L.E. was speeding off; inside the ship, Flint was on his way out of the sick-bay after getting a cast on his wrist from an accident during the action. "I told you not to rush it." Duke told him while shaking his head.

"Whether it's fake or not, things have to-." Flint replied before being interrupted.

"To be done ASAP." Lady-Jaye said, while grinning and holding the voice changer.

"...Put that away." He grumbled at her before a voice spoke over the intercom.

"Ledger to Duke, report to the bridge immediately."

At this, Flint turned for the ladder before they stopped him. "Ah-ah, you're going to the flightdeck, right?" Duke asked after he and Lady-Jaye get infront of him.

"Fine; damn hall monitor." He grumbled again while she led him up and to a Dragonfly outside.

On the bridge, Duke asks what the problem is. "Just got an SOS from a Dutch cargo ship, said their sonar picked up something big making a beeline for them, then static." Ledger tells him.

"Any of our ships in the same vicinity?" Duke asked.

"There is the Montana, but we're closer then she is." Ledger replied.

* * *

After rescuing most of the crew, they find that 20 were still missing. "And you never saw who it was?" Duke asked one of them through Lady-Jaye's language skill.

"Je zag nooit uw aanvaller?" She asks the crewman.

"Niet een kans hebben, het gebeurde te snel om te bepalen."

"He says it happened too fast to identify." She tells Duke.

"Huh. Couldn't have been local, then." He said aloud, when Quick-Kick came in.

"Duke, another one went down 70 or so miles from us."

* * *

Following the sixth attack, Quick-Kick and Lady-Jaye have just taken off. "Whoo~wee, this is so gonna be like the opening scene on "Terror on The Isle of Mayhem!"." He says aloud, referring to his old job.

"What was so terrible about it?" She asks him.

"My paycheck, for one thing." He replies, and the jet wobbled when she snickered. "That was a bad idea, no airsick bag in these things."

"Lady-Jaye, come in. Over."

"Lady-Jaye here, what've you got, Duke?"

"You aught to be approaching Mondo Pengo about now."

"It's just out the window, practically waving to us."

"Shipwreck's stumbled onto something. He's on the south beach, can you land there?"

"The question is could we resist."

As she tilts the nose down, "Now don't get any ideas, this ain't a vacation." Duke tells her.

"Yeah, yeah. Over and out."

* * *

While rowing to the spot Shipwreck mentioned, Quick-Kick asks how his time at the Slaughterhouse was. "I sure got tore up over there, but it was worth it." He tells them.

"Know what you mean, pal. Spent most of the time after that dreaming about mom and pop not making it, must have lost 2 pounds in cold sweat." Quick-Kick replied.

"Not to mention the shrapnel they had to pull out of my backside when i jumped out of the truck." Lady-Jaye added.

* * *

On Cobra Commander's observation yacht, two Blue-shirts are on lookout. "Another fine day, isn't it. Salt from the water in my gear, and bugs the size of my-" One says before getting cut-off.

"Quit yer bitchin' 618. This is way better then that mountain get-away from during that crap with the shell; i swear, my arm's still sore from...Joes!" The other says they see the two stowaways.

Far from the boat, The Twins watch one of the Blue-shirts get thrown through the window and nod to each other smugly. "He's in complete control."

The smugness drops when Lady-Jaye makes the other trooper shoot the controller. "Damn it, lady...You have a back up, right, sir?" He asks while Cobra Commander is examining the damage.

"Yeah, don't you?" Quick-Kick asks when they all hear a sound from outside.

"Maybe you hadn't heard those two, i couldn't afford one, you dumbass interlopers!" Cobra Commander yelled.

While watching this unfold from their office, Tomax turns to his brother. "So what now...Why is your hand twitching?"

Xamot looks down, and grabs it. "Never mind that, we should inform Destro of this." He says to him. "It couldn't be...could i?" He thought to himself.

* * *

Out on the beach at the same time, Shipwreck watches a giant metal serpents head rise infront of the boat. "Hell's bells, that must be what we're here for." He thinks, and watches the monster dive mouth first at it. "No!, Guys!" He slams a fist on the tree trunk before heading back and rows to where the other two left their Skystriker. "Shipwreck calling Duke, respond!"

"Duke here, what's the matter?"

"They're gone, that big bastard ate 'em!" Shipwreck shouted.

"The big what?; You need to calm down and repeat that, please." Duke tells him.

"Quick-Kick and Lady-Jaye, they swam up to a boat in Pirate's Cove; then this...sea monster pops right up and swallowed it." Shipwreck repeated.

"...That makes two, then. Alpine said something about a sea-serpent earlier." Duke says.

"He saw it first, and you dismissed it?" Shipwreck asks him.

"It sounded too far-fetched, alright?"

"Far-fetched?!...After fighting a giant germ, ghosts, and veggies, and-"

"I get the picture, already! I'll contact H.Q. about it...Any sign of survivors?"

"...None."

"For there to be "none", you don't sound to concerned." Duke says, in a confused tone.

"I guess what yer thinking, but i mean there's nothing; no bodies, no debris. I ain't a genius, but even i know that equals not dead." Shipwreck tells him.

"Meaning i owe you an apology; I'll get the word out. Take that jet back to the ship, and we'll head to where this monster was." Duke replied.

After taking off, Shipwreck makes one last pass, and spots something blue on the shore near the site. "Shipwreck to U.S.S. Flagg; nix that part about no survivors, i found a scaly one."

"Alright, we'll send a W.H.A.L.E., just keep circling." A crewman's voice replied.

When the hovercraft landed, Cutter questions him at rifle point. "Alright you, what happened?"

"The-the sub spit me out, Cobra Commander's ordered me to-to see what happens if i tell the computer i wouldn't work, and out i went." The Blue-shirt explained.

"Sub?, So this monster Bazooka mentioned is one of yous guys's weapons?" Cutter asked, and the trooper nods.

"That's right, only it went berserk after that lady made Lenny shoot the remote for it." He added, forgoing the standard number ID.

"...So Lady-Jaye, Quick-Kick, and the rest on that boat are still alive?" Cutter asked next.

"Three of them, anyway. This Lady-Jaye of yours just vanished when the thing swallowed us." The trooper admitted as he shook his head, making Cutter sneer at him.

"You mean it killed her?!" He yelled as he shoved the barrel in the trooper's face.

"I don't know; the things not suppose to, it's meant to just take the crews as workers!"

* * *

Inside the serpent-sub's sorting room during the first "coffee break".

"You built this thing, why ask that guy to demonstrate anything?" Quick-Kick asks Cobra Commander, who hesitates. "Do i have to beat it out of you, cause your little crony won't save you, not after you messed with our families. Now out with it!"

"...I only designed the outer appearanccce and supplied ssome extra components, the rest is all from Braxton, the engineer we commissioned." The Commander admitted.

"Forcefully, i assume." Quick-Kick replied.

In another part of it.

"You say this is all bio-mechanical, how's that possible?" Lady-Jaye asks Prof. Braxton.

"I'm not too sure myself. That madman added some organic components to it, one of which was a self-repair unit, the rest was done by the M.A.R.S. group, i imagine." He explains.

"Destro...it figures." She replies, then kicked a wall. "Tha mi an dòchas a gheibh e meirgeach cheann."*

* * *

At Joe HQ, Flint and the others are being informed. "Thae lass's gone again?" Blowtorch asks Duke.

"No, she can't be d...I won't accept it!" Cover-Girl shouted.

"Peach, stop, she's only missing; don't go reading between lines that aren't there." Scarlett tells her while grabbing her by the shoulders.

"You heard the man, he'll get her and Quick-Kick back as soon as he can." Roadblock added.

Flint however just stood silently.

* * *

After watching the thing dive after Deep-Six, the other three Joes are clinging on to one of the wrecked Dragonfly's. "Dat was jes' embarrassin''!" Gung-Ho says aloud.

"Look on da bright side, least ah still got muh ol' divin' skills." Wild-Bill tells him.

"Oh yeah, well i hope you got swimmers ear to go with them, cause i sure have it." Airborne tells him.

* * *

In a familiar room, Cooper and Satin, now married*, were watching TV while leaning back on the couch, when a news broadcast popped up. "We interrupt this program with an emergency bulletin, a sea creature has been spotted off the Georgia coast heading northwards." An anchorman says. "Be aware that this is a real story, and that word from the capitol is G.I. Joe forces are enroute to intercept it."

Satin sits up and looks to him and asks his opinion.

"What of it?" He asked back.

"You had two of them here, how long should it-". She starts to ask before the anchorman returns.

"We've just be informed that G.I. Joe's initial response team has been defeated." He says, Cooper then clenches his hands at the announcement.

"Got your attention now, Copper?" She asks, with a smirk.

"Maybe enough to find a new line of work." He replied.

* * *

Somewhere off the Virginia coast, one battleship and three destroyers are on the search. "Sonar return, portside; range, 627!" One crewman says.

"Port gun crews report, target surfacing." Another says, and the C.O. takes the radio handset.

"Montana to escorts, all gun batteries to port; fire when ready!"

Once they get the range, all the ships begin shelling.

"Turrets 1, 2, and 4, as well as Oldendurf and Thorn reporting direct hits, Admiral."

"Good, tell 'em to keep it up."

"Aye aye, sir."

"Wait, it's going under!"

"All ships, switch to depth charges!"

* * *

Among the city streets, two men and a teen are watching the serpent-sub firing from a bank. "We have to go out the back!" One of the men says.

"Not yet! Can you imagine how much work it took to focus that much energy, what kind of-" The other says before an explosion struck. "Tim, get down!"

Once the dust cleared, the other man, and another customer look around.

"Is it over?"

"Everyone alright?"

The two see the teen and a bank guard move debris off the second man. "Jeremy? Jeremy, get up!"

"Doctor, can you hear us?"

The man coughs and tries to pull himself up, but stops. "Ah no; no!"

"Dr. Penser, what's wrong?"

"My legs...i cant feel them!"

* * *

Inside the sub, Prof. Braxton pounds a console, making Bucky whine. "Look at what I've done, I shouldn't have accepted that invitation." He says to himself and grabs his head while propping himself by his elbows.

"Beg your pardon?" Lady-Jaye asks him.

"I was called earlier this year; asked to take part of some project. They said they wanted some specifications for comparison to something." He explained.

"Cobra would do that. It's not your fault." She tells him.

* * *

After hitting the water, Bazooka hears a voice in his head. "Wake up, you mockery." He opens his eyes to find himself in a dark space with another person, one still in a Green-shirt uniform. "Huh, your me?!" He says. "No, you...are what I've been reduced too. The blow you took was enough to stir me, but it will only last for a moment, so i must hurry." The other replies. "For what?" He asked. "About that." The other says, and an image of the serpent-sub appears. "And how to defeat it, David."

"But how, it's too strong."/"And therein lies its weakness, the strong always end up being..."/"Self-Defeatin'!" He thinks as he opens his eyes, and grabs one of the "dorsal plates". "That's a boat, not a hotdog!, Yo serpent!"

* * *

After seeing the sub's defeat, Destro stands up for the communications console. "Do allow me, friend." Xamot says to him.

"Very well...friend." Destro replies as he sits back down.

Xamot walks to the office. "Bay's 7 through 9, launch Firebats; and bring prisoners back alive, all of them." He says, before thinking. "The men can be returned, but i will have her; only she can explain why she troubles me."

* * *

In the sorting room.

"Ahhh!" Cobra Commander yelps as he and everyone else is thrown about.

"I always hate this part!" Quick-Kick says before colliding with him.

"Ow! You squashing me, you hairless Primord!" The Commander shouts as he shove the unconscious Joe off and wanders off, picking up whichever bit caught his attention while looking for the pistol from earlier. "We are doomed, and these fools sleep?!"

 _Coffee break, coffee break._

"This is insane!" He yells before finding it, and shooting the speaker. "Whoever programmed that voice will get the next round between his legs!" He thinks before another crash tosses him. Once the room stops spinning, he notices an open door. "Ah-hah...No wait, where's that other one?" He says to himself as he looks for the remaining Blue-shirt. "3018, stand at attention!" He shouts.

"The answers 78, teach...Oh, over here sir!" 3018 replied.

"We're getting out of here, follow my lead!" He orders. "Uh, you first."

* * *

Chapter seventeen. Read and review.


	18. BSAS part 2

Sit-reps.

* * *

After picking up the Prof., Quick-Kick hears the other Blue-shirt. "Hold it, you three."

"What is it, you venom breathed jackass?!" Prof. Braxton asked angrily.

"I'd watch the language, since I'm C.I.A. 'n all." He tells them in a different voice from before, making the Prof slap his hands to his mouth, and Lady-Jaye walk back.

"Why's that voice familiar?" She asks, and he takes his headgear off.

"Cause you gave my class some lessons." He tells her. "Best disguise in three words..."

"Less is more; Provost, isn't it?" She asks as she snapped her fingers.

"Teacher's pet here just let us go through all that shit?" Quick-Kick asks next.

"Hey, it took me four months to get myself on that boat." 'Provost' told him.

"Whatever; who is this?" Prof. Braxton said.

"Agent Philip Provost. I was in my 8th month when she was transferred to G.I. Joe." Provost replied.

* * *

After the captive sailors, Braxton, and Bucky are returned, the two Joes and Provost return to H.Q. "Yo Joe, welcome back!" Everyone says as they watch their fellow operatives exit the transport plane.

"Wow, so this is where you work?" Provost asks Lady-Jaye, an expression similar to Jesse's on his face. "It's huge."

"We get that a lot; our M.P.'s will give you the tour, Agent." Duke tells him, as two walked up.

"Right this way, please." The lead says. "Name?"

"Agent Philip Provost, C.I.A.; but some people call me Chuckles."

"Estupendo; Pvt. Lavigne, or just Chris. The other guy's Eddy Olsen."

After the agent and the M.P.'s left, Dr. Rich walks over. "Lady-Jaye, we have a slight problem."

"Why, something happen whil..." She says, before looking around. "Wait a minute, where's Flint...where is he?"

He turns to Duke, who sighs. "Monitor room; hasn't moved since Shipwreck reported you both M.I.A."

Hearing this, she shoves him aside and runs inside, followed by them, and some others. Once she reaches the room, she freezes as she sees him just sitting and staring blankly.

"-praddled lies the dust about, A fit, sad place to write her name. Or draw her face the way she looked. That legendary night she came...*" He was saying to himself, and she shook her head in dismay at what her second absence has done to him, the same man who faced down hundreds of enemy troops, a building sized death ray, and a, albeit smaller, robot dino.

"You can stop now, I'm back." She says as she knelt down and grabbed his hand, but he showed no reaction.

"The heavy cows go laboring. In agony with clotted teats; My hands are slack; my blood is cold; I marvel that my heart still beats."

"Stop it, wake up!" She screamed at him and took a breath. "Splashing along the~boggy woods all day, And over bram~bled hedge and holding clay, I shall not~think~of him: But when~the wa~tery fields grow brown and~and dim...**" She says through sobs, before feeling light movement.

"Shouldn't we stop her?" Duke asks Dr. Rich, who shakes his head.

"No, i think i know what she's...Look, sir, Flint's reacting!" He says as he notices Flint's jaw move.

"...And hounds have lost their fox, and horses tire." She and the rest who followed her hear him add.

"I know that~he'll be with~with me on my way." She continues, and starts smiling when she sees his fingers close around her hand.

"Home through..." She said, and they all hear him join her in finishing. "...the darkness to the evening fire...You're-what happened?"

She wipes her eyes and throws her arms around him. "I worried you again, didn't i Dashiell?...I'm so sorry."

"...You should be. Being cute won't let you get away with calling me that in public, fair lady, but it will give you this." He says, as he puts his arms around her before slowly standing.

Only for Duke to interrupt the eternal instant. "Hate to cut in, but break it up you two; Flint, you need to report to Doc."

"What, come on, she just got back." Flint says to him.

"Flint, you haven't eaten in 16 hours." Duke replied.

"...16?"

"The time since you left the ship and flying back, plus the time you first heard what happened."

"Fine." Flint said with a pouting expression, before looking to Lady-Jaye. "Pizza maybe?"

"Anything but seafood is fine by me." She replied, but Duke objected.

"Nothing doing. I hate to break this up, but the only place Flint is going is to the infirmary. I can't have my 2IC going catatonic on us again, so until Doc and Rich declare you fit enough, I'm taking you off of active duty."

* * *

At a hotel room, most of the furniture and objects inside are damaged while Xamot is sitting on the floor.

"Damn it, why does it even matter so much?" He asks himself.

* * *

On the way to the Infirmary.

"How was it inside that thing, Lady-Jaye?' Flint asks her. "Was it like when i got chomped on at the candy island?"

"Actually not that bad...for me atleast...up until the tentacles." She replied, and he asks what that meant. "Tinface shot at a speaker in the ejection room, and these... creepy mechano-arms came after us, it was like that "tree" on Easter Island; good thing Quick showed up and cut me loose." She explained, something she would regret saying a few years later.

* * *

A few days later, Steeler is in his bunk with a letter, a Dear John letter. "And we were doing so well too." He said, while Clutch, Thunder, and Heavy Metal sit with him.

"Give it a while, pal, you can always find someone else, just like Lavigne did." Clutch tells him.

"Yeah, him and one of those Green-shirt's, Stall wasn't it, after that dog he's been assigned to left a present on her boots." Thunder added.

"I don't know guys, who could replace her?" He asked.

* * *

Chapter eighteen. Read and review.

*The Loss Of Love by Countee Cullen.

**Together by Siegfried Sassoon.


	19. Roster addition

Sit-reps.

* * *

In the assembly room, Duke, Flint, and Breaker are at the podium. "Joes, i have an announcement to make. Word from Washington is that our European counterpart, Action Force, has been disbanded." He tells them, and the audience mutters in surprise and concern.

"How come?"/"Who caused it; da Snakes, or da Reds?"/"Does it affect us somehow?".

"It's no enemy plot this time, Bill, unless you consider bean counters as one. Seems most of the heads of state overseas picked NATO over A.F., so it's only a defeat economically." Breaker explained.

"Maybe, but how does it involve us Joes?" Mutt asks again, and Duke responds.

"Because before it occurred, we were helping them come up with a new radar system meant to identify Cobra targets based specifically on how the beams bounce off of the metal in their aircraft."

"Cool...but can that, like, even be done?" Footloose asks, causing Flash to go into lecture mode, causing everyone else to groan or cover their ears.

Once he finished, Spirit asked who would be going with. "That will be more volunteer work, aside from how both Flint and i are going." Duke replied.

"Then who's gonna be in charge?" Zap asked, and Flint swears under his breath before a new voice answered.

"Dat'd be me, ya maggit's." And the Joes look on in dismay as a man in B.D.U.s. and crutches walked in*.

"Aw hell, not him!"

"Why's dat livin' sweatsock here, homme?"

"Come on, anyone but that!"

"Can i call for emergency leave, before he makes us work till we heave?"

The man twitches an eye and stomps one of his crutches. "Next one 'o y'all yappin' gets P.T. fer da next two weeks!"

Once the audience Joes sit down, Duke speaks up. "As, uh, as you can see, reservist operative Beachhead was adamant about transferring here. While he won't be on field duty any time soon, he will be G.I. Joe's third in command as of now."

"Thank you; aneh a' da rest o' you sacks a' dog crap gat a problem wit' dat?" Beachhead replied to Duke, and told the rest.

"Other than that; Snow-Job, and Frostbite will be leading a team-" Flint said, getting a room full of raised hands, making him blanch. "...A team for the annual polar outpost** repair duty."

* * *

Chapter nineteen. Read and review.

*A.U.

**Same one from "Iceberg Goes South"


	20. And subtraction

Sit-reps.

* * *

Before he was to leave for the arctic assignment, Tollbooth and Dr. Blackstone were putting their clothes back on in one of the M.O.B.A.T.'s. "Anything else to say?" She asked while she put her hairclip back on.

"Well, i heard back 'bout the plans i gave the Col. when he was here. Said it's gotten some competition, but those boys at Los Alamos seem to think it's good enough." He replied after wiping off the "mess".

"Competition?"

"Yeah, apparently some other guy came up with this thing called a Recon Sled."

Dr. Blackstone turned after buttoning her lab coat. "Is that like our Polar Battle Bear, or a Navy design?"

"It's a ground vehicle; but other than that, I ain't sure yet, Sal'." After leaving the motorpool, the two part ways only for Tollbooth to nearly run into Snake-Eyes, who was sitting around a corner holding Timber, who wasn't moving.

* * *

Twenty minutes earlier, he and the rest were leaving the meeting. He headed over to the animal "quarters", but saw the door open with Duke, Doc, and Morris watching the dogs all whining and howling while Freedom and Polly watched silently, and he rushed over. "Huh...Oh, not now." He heard Morris say quietly through his lip reading before the med-Joe turned around.

Snake-Eyes asks what was going on in sign language, and tilts his head when Duke and Morris glance down. "This...This won't be easy to say, son; but I'm afraid Timber just passed away, I'm sorry." Doc told him with a sad tone as he stands.

"Awk, say it ain't so; bring him back!" Went Polly before the Joe ninja shoved Morris away and ran in to see the wolf on his side, eyes still open, but dull. He picks his old companion up before standing and running out, passing a few shocked co-workers.

"Should we just-" Morris starts to ask, before Duke shakes his head.

All through the base, the various Joes and other personnel react to the news. "All personnel, n~now hear this...as of...0834 hours, "special guard operative" Timber has...been declared deceased." Duke said.

In the Joe-ette's quarters, Scarlett coughs out her tea while Cover-Girl drops a plate to cover her mouth before running out.

On the artillery range, Stalker, Snow-Job, Heavy Metal, and Gung-Ho abandon the F.L.A.K. training.

In the armory, Lady-Jaye, Blowtorch, and Dusty go wide-eyed and leave.

Inside the rec room, Short-Fuze, Rock 'n Roll, Steeler, and Clutch all set down their cards and leave with Alpine and Bazooka, who turn a video game off.

In an empty conference room, Deep-Six puts his book down and runs off.

After all arrive, they see Snake-Eyes still sitting on the floor cradling Timber. Scarlett walked up to him and knelt down. "We~all heard;~will you be ok?"

He looks at her; to everyone else's surprise, they hear a slow voice. "No, Sh...a...na...I..."

Feeling her eyes fill, she opens her arms up and lets him lean on her. " Don't, you'll wreck your vocal...I know,~we all are, we~all~are." After the funeral, it was agreed by the three leaders that Snake-Eyes would be exempt from both missions, and have time off. Scarlett, Short-Fuze, Rock 'n Roll, and Deep-Six joined.

* * *

At Norfolk, Duke and Flint head to the Flagg's bridge and see someone else giving orders. "Excuse me, where's Ledger?" Duke asks.

"What...Oh, he's out having back surgery, so I'm filling in for him. I'm Admiral Colby. Which of you two is Duke?"

* * *

Chapter twenty. Read and review.


	21. Joes at work part 1

Sit-reps.

* * *

Once Duke's, and Snow-Job's teams had left, Stalker is leading Beachhead to the base's quartermaster area. "And this is where we keep the stuff for our uniforms." he tells his new superior as he opens the door. "Help yourself, sir."

"Yah do remebeh yuh'll only be callin' me that off da field, rait soldier?" Beachhead asks him before heading in.

"Sure do, my ear was ringing all day last time." Stalker replied, and watched the other man hobble over and look at a black tactical vest.

* * *

Later, the two are with those Joes left behind in the back of the base's hanger. "Atten-hut! Alrait, soap scum; dis here's gonna be P.T., mah way!" Beachhead shouted. "Aneh ques'huns?"

When Steeler raises his hand, Beachhead snarls under his balaclava. "No ques'hun'n yer drill instructah, maggit! Do wut ah say, or i beat yer ass like a drum, y'all hear me?!"

"We hear you, drill sergeant!" They all say back, and Beachhead grinned.

"Outstanding. Now den, all yoo piles a' pig fat gonna start by goin' down dat zipline before joggin' to da front gate." He tells them while pointing to the hanger door. "Unless one a' you give me da name of da sum'bitch called me a sweatsock!; then y'all can jes' march there." He added.

"Pretty sure that was Gung-Ho, sarge." Barbecue told him as quick as he could. "But he left with Snow-Job's team."

"Thenk yoo...now drop down an' give me thirty, dammit; fer rattin' him out laik dat!" Beachhead yelled. While Barbecue is doing that, he speaks up again. "An' fer da rest of you, P.T. starts now!" He yells, and they all start running.

Stalker then hands him a bullhorn. "Speak up, ladies, wut does G.I. Joe do?" He asks them.

"He'll fight for freedom!"

"Where y'all gonna do dat?"

"Wherever there's trouble!"

"Ah can't hear yoo, what's he do?"

"He never gives up!"

"Is he here?"

"He's always there!"

"Doin' what?"

"Fighting for freedom over land and air!"

* * *

Chapter twenty-one. Read and review.


	22. Joes at work part 2

Sit-reps.

* * *

While the Flagg was a third of her way to port, Snow-Job's team had already arrived at the arctic. "Gotta love the biting icy breeze up here, right guys?" He asks as he and Frostbite breath in and out after getting off a Polar Battle Bear.

"Nae sair, we doon't!"/"Yeah, we're only here to get away from Sgt. limburger back there." Blowtorch and Cover-Girl replied; they and the other Joes agreeing that the idea of freezing to death was far better than being in smelling distance of the 3IC, only for Snow-Job to wave them off.

As they were unloading the supplies, they hear a mechanical noise approaching. "Sum'tin's headed our way!" Gung-Ho shouts to them while getting "baby" ready.

"Joes, take position!" Snow-Job orders. "Grunt, Short-Fuze! Get over by that hill for some crossfire!"

"Yo Joe!" They say back, and everyone waits, only to see US markings on the vehicles.

"False alarm; they're friendlies!" Frostbite says and motions for the others to stand.

One man exits the lead Thiokol. "Hey there, saw your transports on the screen, the Capt. sent us to see if you needed a hand."

"Sure, why not; name and rank?" Snow-Job asks the man.

"Sgt. Nash, Clifton l., US army."

After the work was finished, Nash's squad is in the mess tent listening to some of the Joe's exploits. "You actually socked a real snake in the face?" One of his men asks Gung-Ho.

"Ah sure did, jes' bafer they got me with them funny-lookin' whips of theirs." He replied.

"And which one of you stopped that crap in Chicago?" Another asked. "I spent two weeks after that smelling like a raspberry."

* * *

Chapter twenty-two. Read and review.


	23. Excalibur part 1

Sit-reps.

Slightly A.U.

Skymaster does not condone violence involving women.

* * *

After getting shot at by Duke, Storm Shadow hears his turret gunner, a Blue-shirt with two long braided side-locks*, shrieking. "Calm yourself, and pull the ejection handle." He says while looking back.

"Al-alright...found it; see you later, sir!" She tells him before ejecting. Once she gets to the ground, she rolls the parachute and looks to her leg injury, and waits to see if he made it, only to notice the wind start to blow harder, and the clouds thicken. She then sees a glint of light on the lake's surface out of the corner of her eye.

"Oh good, you got out...You have that the whole time?" She asks as he reaches the shore holding a western style sword.

"I did not, i found it down on the bottom. This lake must be relatively new, because it was lying on a stone table." He tells her while holding it infront of her.

"Sword on...Nah, no way; there's no rust or barnacles on it, maybe a prop or something?" She says to him.

"We will see about that later, first we must return and get that fixed." He replied, and pointed at her left thigh which had some shrapnel in it.

* * *

Near a building elsewhere on the island, a man in a black suit was dozing and wakes with a start before looking up at the darkening clouds and frowns. "Yes, that would be quite inconvenient." He says to no one in particular, and heads inside.

* * *

At the British naval yard the Flagg was headed for, an officer is at the radio. "Dock chief to USS Flagg, negative on docking permission, sir, the sky 'ere's gone moony all of a sudden. Giving the port a pasting, it is. Over."

"Acknowledged, we see it too. Even for here, it seems awfully rough. Will drop anchor and wait it out. How long, you think? Over." Admiral Colby replies.

"Unsure, never 'ad it like this to my knowledge. Weather folks say there-Golly, that was a loud one...shouldn't even be a storm. Over and out." The officer said back.

Colby nods and walks over to the Joes. "This storms got the weather-boys baffled, Duke; and we can't dock till it breaks."

* * *

Once the W.H.A.L.E.'s are underway, Cutter turns to Shipwreck. "Almost like a monsoon; ever see it this bad, Shipwreck?"

"Not since this one time in Pyonghae back in '79, how about-about you?" He asks back after a wave hits them.

"Kinda reminds me of a job in '80, went out for a trawler. When we eventually found it, there were only three men left. Took two months before the last of the missing bodies washed ashore." Cutter replied. The two look at each other and silently agree to stop talking.

"Storms increasing, slow down a bit, Joes." They hear Duke say over the radio.

* * *

In the town, Duke and Flint are speaking while the other Joes work on fastening down the equipment. "Atleast it hasn't gotten inland yet, felt like it was going after us intentionally on the way here." Duke tells him as he scans the clouds.

"It's your imagination, Duke, the local's are just trying to make us nervous." Flint replied.

"Too depressing either way." Bazooka says to both.

Over to their left, Wild Bill was working with Green-shirt's Stall and Menninger. "Damn lousy day, ain't it?"

"You said it. Let's get this done and-Whoa!" She replied before a breeze sent the tarp flying into the chopper pilot.

"'elp, ah can't see; git dis dadgum thang off me!" He shouts before stumbling as she and Merringer help him out while Blais, Pidel, and Thunder start laughing.

"You three, knock it off right now." Duke tells them.

To their right, Lady-Jaye finishes propping some tent poles against a crate and watches Footloose speaking with Quick-Kick and Spirit when Shipwreck walks over to her. "Some weather we're having, wanna discuss it inside?"

"I don't see why not." She says to the grinning sailor. "Just let me get Flint and you can tell **us** a~l~l about it." She adds as she glances away from the now frowning sailor and spots Storm Shadow holding some of the circuit boards. "Footloose, the crate!" She shouts, and watches with everyone else as the white clad ninja's slash is thrown off just in time.

"Jesus Christ, did that just happen?!" Mutt asks himself after seeing the statue fall.

Following his order to Footloose and Spirit, Duke walks back to the maps. "Only thing unnatural here is the chow." He grumbles to himself. "Now lets get back to work, Lady-Jaye."

"You sure you want to write it off just like that, you did fight alongside a ghost, don't forget." She tells him.

"What'd you have to remind me of that for? It's just Spirit being paranoid this time, alright? You'd know better than the rest of us that it's just typical weather for this place; no pissed off fairies or leprechauns or anything wanting to scare us away." Duke said back.

"I've seen storms in Ireland, sure, but never one that rolled in this fast." She replies. "And you saw how Storm Shadow brought that stature down, even a samurai sword isn't that sharp."

* * *

At the Cobra hide-out, Major Bludd sees Storm Shadow walk by with the unconscious Footloose. "I see ya have some souvenirs there." He says.

"Indeed i did; one prisoner, and the legendary Excalibur." Storm Shadow replied, only for Bludd to snicker at him.

"Pfft, good one, mate."

"I'm serious, Major."

"Haha, right, and next you'll tell me you found a Bunyip."

While watching the two Crimson guardsmen walk off, Storm Shadow turns to the captive Joe. "Let me out of here, you walking dishrag, or I'll kick your ass!" Footloose tells him.

"I'm suppose to fear someone who can't even speak realistically?" He asked, causing the Joe to kick the door.

"You would if Snake-Eyes was here, man." Footloose replied.

"...And where exactly is he, i did not see him at your basecamp." Storm Shadow asked next, but Footloose just smirks.

"Wouldn't you like to know." In response, Storm Shadow stabs through the door's window and pokes his helmet, splitting it in two as a warning. "He'sonleave,dude,hisdogdied!" Footloose confessed after watching both halves fall on the floor, and looking back up at him.

* * *

On the way to the boats, Storm Shadow and Major Bludd pass by the Baroness. "You two, board Vater Mocas...That the thing you mentioned, Major?" She asks after a double take.

"It is, the bloke thinks that it~that it make's him the king of tha Britain's, ahahaha." Major Bludd replies while smacking a dock post.

"I never said that, and it's not a toy, it's real! My removing it caused the storm here." Storm Shadow tells them.

"Oh, please; it's storming because it's Britain, it gets like this every other veek." She replied while rolling her eyes.

"Dakara, kore wa shin no Ekesukariba! Hon, to, da, ze!" Storm Shadow shouted as he shoved it in their faces.

"Vhatever, just quit doing that!, Almost knocked my glasses off over a measly fairytale." She says back; and he heads to his post after punching a random Blue-shirt in the face.

* * *

At the same time that is going on, Duke and Lady-Jaye are at the edge of the dam, when another man arrived. "Sorry it took me so long, being out of work is busy work." He tells Duke.

"Is he the former head of that Action Force group you mentioned?" Lady-Jaye asked.

Duke nodded. "That's him; Sgt. Bennet." He replied.

"You can still call me Big Ben, you know...and you are?"

"Lady-Jaye; secondary intelligence, and covert ops specialist." She tells him.

"I see." The Sgt. then bows, and kisses the back of her hand. She was about to do a curtsy until he spoke again. "Welcome to the better part of our island, luv. Pity it was at a-."

She pulls her hand away roughly before he can finish. "With all due respect, sir, every part of "your island" is the best of it."

"Hold on, hold it. Inspection, remember?" Duke says to them, and they both nod.

"It's no good, duke, the dam's giving way." Lady-Jaye says.

"I agree; four or five hours, tops." Bennet adds.

"Evacuate the village, then try and save the radar system." Duke said, before a certain person returned after Lady-Jaye's reply.

"Doon't waste yer taim, laddy."

"Huh?"

"What the..."

"Nuthin's goin'a save us now, except returnin' Excalibur to The Lady of the Lake."

"Excalibur's been...No wonder the sky's gotten all barmy, and when the bloody hell were you going to inform us?" Bennet asks Duke.

"Cause i didn't believe any of this till you said that just now." He replied. "So that stuff about King Arthur's all for real?"

"Aye, as real as the stoone beneath me feet." Mr. Beamish replies.

"And Storm Shadow has it now; maybe better he has it than Cobra Commander does." Duke says.

But then, they hear Flint over the walkie talkie. "Duke, we got sea-snakes inbound!"

Hearing this, Lady-Jaye rushed off first.

"Wait...Big Ben, call for some A.P.C.'s for the evac, and reinforcements too!"

* * *

At the battle site, Duke and his team, along with some of Bennet's NATO troops, watch Storm Shadow swinging away, disabling their generic soldiers. "Look at him; the bastahds showing off!" Bennet says while reloading.

"Atleast this snake only kills...when he has too." Shipwreck adds as he brings down a Blue-shirt just infront of Major Bludd.

"Still have to do something about him!" Flint says next.

"I have just the thing; let's go Mason." Lady-Jaye says as she gets a javelin with a mace head out and runs toward the enemy line. "Yo Joe!"

"Come on, you lot, give the lady some cover!" Bennet said to his troops. "Full force!"

After Judo throwing Stall at a random NATO soldier, Storm Shadow senses an attack from his right and leapt back to see her swing downward. "Tha cuid de seo**!" She shouts and leaves an imprint right where his feet were. "Eh, lucky guess." Lady-Jaye says before rushing again and swinging at him. He re-directs her twice, toying with her.

"I commend your courage, but you're too used to throwing; no dueling experience." He tells her, and flicks the blade behind the mace and jabs her fingers with the crossguard before tripping her with a foot sweep. Before he can do anything else, a round hits the blade and he drops it out of surprise, but quickly dives for it and runs off.

"Lady-Jaye, you alright?" Flint asks after firing three more rounds.

"Fine, just need an icepack and some more kendo practice. Thanks." She tells him.

"Anytime sweety, lets double-back a bit." He replies.

"No arguments here, Joe-meo." She says as they head back, turning a few times to take some potshots.

Further back, Wild Bill is on his way, Duke calls him over the radio. "Duke here, what's your E.T.A.?"

"Three 'n a half minutes, pardner. Can just see them tracers of yer's now." He replies.

"Ok. Fall back to the sandbags; three minutes till the flock." He hears over the radio.

* * *

After the air support leaves, Duke and Bennet's teams watch Major Bludd's rocket fly past them. "Shit, Mutt's still down there!" Duke says as they see the dam explode.

"Any chance he made it out, sair?" One of Bennet's men asked, but got no answer.

* * *

Chapter twenty-three. Read and review.

*Guess who this is.

**Take some of this!


	24. Excalibur part 2

Sit-reps.

* * *

After the tidal wave ended, the two groups look around to see which of them survived. "Blah...Flint, Bennet, you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm alright; anyone else?"

"As fine as the fish tried to shimmy up my trousers."

Duke shakes his head and begins a mental head count. "Still 5 of us missing, gonna check below." He holds his breath and dives down to see Green-shirt Menniger struggling with a wagon wheel that he's stuck in, Duke swims down and helps break one of the spokes, and the two surface.

"Thanks, sir." Menniger says to him.

"Don't mention it. Still 4 missing; you see anyone else down there?" Duke asked.

"Not sure, but ready to go back under whenever you are."

"You heard him; lend a hand, people!" Flint says, and everyone dives down.

Thunder and Bazooka find one of Bennet's men pinned by a motorcycle and a ladder. Blais finds another Green-shirt under some stone blocks, but sees a large wound to the head, and surfaces. "Sir, ah found Holsinger, but he's dead; Rock must'a hit him."

"And i found Stall, but she's not breathing." Flint says, and heads for shore to do CPR.

"...Right, anyone find the other two?" Duke asks, but everyone says no. "Damn...We'll check for the bodies later. Head for shore, come on!"

The groups reach the shore where they see Stall having been revived, and is wiping her mouth. "That friggin' cyclopes messed up my hair; i just got it dyed, too!"

"Just be glad your alive so you can re-do that later, soldier." Duke tells her before looking back. "Lady-Jaye, head back and get the hovercrafts."

* * *

While that was going on, Footloose is in his cell. "Ah, that's a load of shit, man; Motley Crue is way better than any of those lame-o's you people listen too!" He says to a mouse. "No, i do **not** want any crappy tea and trumpets, or whatever it's called! Now go pound those assholes like you said you could...Hmm?" He says again before hearing sounds from outside. He heads to the door and sees Quick-Kick and Spirit. "Man, what took you guys so long?, Get me out of here."

* * *

Before Flint and Duke arrive at the old castle, two Crimson guards see an old Scottish man walk up behind them. "Where be thae yangster carry'en Excalibur, it must be retarned befur thae whole isle goes ander!" Mr. Beamish tells them, while waving a cane.

"How the hell did he get so close?"/"Get lost, ya codger; this is private property!" They both say, before the second one raises his rifle at him, but before they can fire, he stamps the cane into the ground, and two glowing rings appear beneath the two guards, who fall unconscious. He then drags them into the bushes before the two Joe commanders arrive.

* * *

After retreating, Cobra Commander turns to Destro after he laments his "loss". "Huh? Back up, sssay that again?" He asks, making Destro grimace.

"Both Destro, and Storm Shadow have spent all day insisting that the blade the latter found vas Excalibur, Commander." The Baroness tells him.

"What?! You idiot!, We had King Arthur's sssword in our possession, and none of you ssaw fit to inform me?!" Cobra Commander yelled.

"You watc...achoo...watched him bring down a column...achoo...with one stroke earlier, so don't blame me!" Destro told him.

"I thought it vas just some random relic he found." The Baroness said next.

"We sstill could have made use of it, and I thought that was just normal for him!" The Commander shouted. "You are ssso getting locked up for thiss when we get back to base, you chrome faced saboteur!"

* * *

At the village's remains, Duke finishes talking while watching the child and her cat. "Uh, mister; who's Mr. Beamish?" She asks him.

"You don't know this man, little girl?" Duke asked back.

"Him?, Sorry, can't say i have." She answered.

He and Lady-Jaye then look back to ask who he is, but see him gone. "Did it again!, I'm gonna find the Mayor, get to the bottom of this." Duke says aloud.

Once he finds the village mayor, Duke walks up to him. "Pardon me, sir, but is there a Beamish residence here?"

"Beamish?, No, there's none here by that name, young man. We did notice an old Scotsman, but he was no local." The Mayor tells him.

"...Huh, well thanks anyway." Duke replies.

* * *

While the Joe's are on the way back to the Flagg, Flint turns to Duke. "So this Beamish of yours is a phantom?"

"So it seems, phantoms and legends. Rich is going to have a field day when we get back." Duke tells him.

"That and Doc's holiday. I still don't get how me, Mutt, Junkyard, and Footloose could all get away from all that with barely a scratch." Flint says back.

"Why, what happened?" Shipwreck asks.

"Footloose said a giant pillar fell on him, while the rest of us have a AAgun blow up in our face's, yet we're still here, how does that happen?"

While they wonder about that, Mr. Beamish is by the lake, and watches a woman walk out. "Let it be known that ic didst misjudge the warrior from before, please giveth thine sincerest apology to the palace." The Lady of the Lake asks him, and he answers in an English accent while removing a mask before kneeling.

"Always, my lady; with utmost gratitude for giving me, and those western chaps, your aid in this matter." He tells her.

"Twas not easy getting permission from The Lord to intervene; but rewarding to see those of the serpent's army punished, and to spare as many of thou's western kin as ic twas able, Sir Burke." She replied, and glanced at the sword she was holding.

"Might i suggest allowing me to take over the guardianship; I do believe Excalibur will be much safer with Auntie." He suggested.

* * *

Once they are well over the US, Flint looks out the window. "Uh, Duke?, Aren't we going too far northwest?"

"Nope. We're on the right course, alright." Duke tells him.

"Why, where are we going?" Flint asks again.

"Vegas."

* * *

Chapter twenty-four. Read and review.


	25. Downtime part twenty part 1

Sit-reps.

* * *

After six days at Las Vegas, Duke's team returns to hear Snow-Job mention a potential new recruit, and the aftermath of Beachheads idea of training. "Ah'll nevah get how y'all won sah many fuckin' times; when all yah got are these whiny-ass bitches, can't even go 1 lap around da damn base?!" Beachhead asked as he and Duke, who had bandages on both hands and a bruised face after his plan of using Flint's lucky streak went awry, looked over those Joes omitted from both missions in the infirmary.

"...You had them dragging meat filled R.A.M. tires with the guard dogs chasing them." Duke said back as he pointed at the heavily bandaged Grunt.

"Muh urvyheng errzs." Torpedo says first, also bandaged.

"Get me a phone, i want my lawyer!" Went Recondo, who was in a sling.

"Hand it oveh when yer done so i can throw it at him." Barbecue asked him from his wheelchair.

"See, awl they been doin' since da dodge ball game." Beachhead said next.

"He made us do that in our shorts, and had sandpaper strips glued on the balls!" Dusty tells Duke.

* * *

At the commissary, the Joes who went with Duke and Flint swap stories with the ones who went with Snow-Job. "And after we got patched up; me, Thunder, Lady-Jaye, and Quick-Kick here, got Wild Bill to take a shot of us doing the Abbey Crossing. Would have gotten Footloose, but he kept nagging about his cellmate." Shipwreck tells some of the latter Joes while opening a can of R/C.

"Must have been locked up a tad too long though, since he was there by himself." Quick-Kick added.

"Aw crap, i had to draw the short straw, didn't i?" Rock 'n Roll said as he smacked the table.

"What about the new guy Snow-Job talked about?" Ripcord asked after putting his sandwich down.

"You mean Nash?, He did some nice work up there, but it's up to Gen. Abernathy if he joins or not." Cover-Girl replied.

"Should have seen him, had those normies working like a German clock." Frostbite said, and Tollbooth points and nods while his mouth was full. Gung-Ho was about add something when they see a disheveled Lavigne and Stall rushing out of the kitchen.

One minute earlier, the latter pair are in a closet. "So the whole thing was el bummer grande?" Chris asks her while brushing the back of his fingernails across her bellybutton.

"Not so much, the ra~dar was just a prototype anyway. The Brit's~ordered 70 of them after we tested~it with a captured Trubble Bubble." She replied while feeling him breathing on her neck.

She turns around and the two are about to kiss some more before the door opens. "What the hell...Man, this ain't no lover's lane; so get on out before i bash yo' brain!" Roadblock said and pointed to the door.

* * *

In the girl's quarters, Lady-Jaye was telling Simmons, Haruna, a few Green-shirts, and the recently returned Scarlett about a side-trip just after the Britain mission. While the Joes where boarding the A.P.C.'s, Lady-Jaye walks over to Duke and Flint. "Hey, Duke?"

"Need something?"

"Well, since we're here, you think we could visit some relatives of mine up north?"

Duke and Flint look to each other and the latter shrugs. "We got some time, given how everything's been cut short."

"Fine, but only 1 day." Duke tells her.

The trio take a flight to Scotland, and take a rented car to an old building. They walk up and are greeted by several people, a man about as burly as Flint walked up. "Who are ye, that be intrudin' on the clan of the bear-heart's land with nae forwarnin?" He asks as he folds his arms.

"Sorry to bother you; but our friend here insisted we visit." Duke tells him, but he says nothing.

"My turn." Lady-Jaye says, and walked forward, javelin in hand. "We are thoose who baeth in tha blood of serpents; so ye best be lattin' oos pass, or it be yer's next!" She shouts in a Scottish accent as she points it at him as some more walk out.

"And yerself?" The man asks next.

"Ah'm she who the earth coul'nae drown, nor a metal sea-beast swallow. Man, machine, bear, giant turnips, exploding crystals?, They could'nae slay me either!" She answered as she raised it in the air.

The man stares at her for a few seconds, and balked. "Beh, unless ye can prove ye have enythin' in those wee twigs ye call erm's, none of ye be enterin tha praperty!"

She then turns to Flint and points to a bag she gave him earlier, he opens it to show an empty Crimson guard helmet with a bullet hole through both sides. "Toss the thing, would you please?"

Flint does as requested, and throws it in the air to the right. Lady-Jaye chucks the javelin at the helmet, and brings it back to the man after it falls.  
"Cannae believe me eyes, Fergus; speared tha theng throo both holes in mid-air!" Another man says, before a female voice is heard.

"Aye, Fenella's bairn has proven hersalf, she has. Now beck in tha manor, alla' ye!" An older woman orders, and the two Joe men see Lady-Jaye's face light up.

"Aunty Rhona!" She says and hugs her.

* * *

Chapter twenty-five. Read and review.


	26. Downtime part twenty part 2

Sit-reps.

* * *

Pause flashback.

"You really got it through the helmet?" Haruna asked Lady-Jaye, who set down her Budweiser and nodded.

"Yeah, hit both holes. Should have seen how shocked they all were." She replied.

"Oh, we can imagine all the jaws dropping, brownie." Scarlett said.

Back to the flashback.

"Uill beannaich mi, tha e air a bhith cho fada, leanabh.*" The older woman says before letting go. "And who be these jane'talmen?"

"Oh, this is Duke, my commanding officer; and the other is Flint." Lady-Jaye explained. "Guys, this is my late mother's older sister."

"Rhona Burnett, current clan matron. A gret playzur it is to wailcome ye both here." 'Rhona' says, and leads the Joes inside.

"Um, nice place you have here, Ma'am. Really...rustic." Duke says as he and Flint look around to see suits of armor and other decorations from over the centuries.

"Aye, it is, sair. Been Burnett's 'ere sance 1142, and 'as seen laif 'n daeff sance the furs' week.", "But we can be decuzzin' history later." Mrs. Burnett told them before turning back to Lady-Jaye. "As i was sayin', it's been too long since a've seen ye in parson, Al-I mean Lady-Jaye, fergot about that abdaction we heard aboot."

"Sure has, I've changed a lot since gram's passing." Lady-Jaye replied.

"...Can still hear how shocked the ald matron was when ye wrote us sayin' ye gave up the actin' job fer the kind her brothers didnae retarn from." Mrs. Burnett said next. "Which reminds me, me own boy has a recordin' or two of one of yer roles fer his wee nephew."

"Which one?"

"One a' them where ye only hear yer voice; said ye were a runaway princess**." After saying that, they arrived at the guest rooms. "Pick whichever room ye wish, sairs. We will be off catchin' up, then fixin' supper."

After the two leave, Duke picked the door on the right, and he and Flint unpack. "How much of this you know about, Flint?"

"Not as much as you think, she mentioned her roles one and off camera; like what she was just talking about, the show's called-."

"I mean her family, she mention anyone besides her parents?" Duke asked, and Flint shook his head.

"She mentions them every now and then, nothing about this place though. Either not to think of herself as being uppercrust..." He says.

"Or to shield them from anyone she doesn't want listening." Duke finished for him.

A while later, the two are called to the dining hall, where they see that Lady-Jaye, who had been telling her family of the Joe's past missions, called the rest of the team, minus Quick-Kick, who was still aboard the Flagg. "-ear took the second box and ran off with it." She was saying before Cutter taps her shoulder and points them out. "Hey, finally done, i see."

"O'er fellers, check out this here spread!" Wild Bill says as he waved with a fork while Shipwreck and Footloose are hitting on the staff, and Bazooka was giving some scraps to Junkyard.

"Yeah, i wonder who would be more upset; Roadblock if i mention this, or these guys if i mention him?" Cutter asked while taking a swig of something.

As Duke and Flint sit down, three children head over to the table where Spirit, Mutt, and Thunder are. "Wat sert'a felcon i'at, mistar?" One of them asks as he points to Freedom, who is on the second floor railing.

"He is Freedom; an Eagle, not a Felc...Falcon." He replied, turning his head as the kids laughed at his slip.

"Awk, hoot mon, they don't give a hoot, man." Polly said after Shipwreck and Footloose get slapped.

Another of them, a 6 year old, asks a question. "Ah ye Aaf'aken(African)?"

"Ian, apologize ta tha man right now!" One woman says as she rushes over.

"I sury. Jus' hear they've dawk skaen." 'Ian' says, and Spirit crouches down.

"I am of the Pueblo tribe in New Mexico, child; a people just as old as yours, maybe older."

"Oh, ye Na'ive American?" Ian asks, and Spirit nods.

After that, the one referred to as Fergus looks to Duke and Flint. "So, we be hearin' fer a while that one of ye's the leader of the team she's on."

"You mean G.I. Joe; I'm the C.O., name's Duke."

"And I'm-"

"Flint; she be sayin' plenty of ye. Mast say ye be fittin' me coosin's description." Fergus says, and they all turn as Lady-Jaye coughs up some food.

"Fergus, quit it." She tells him.

But he goes on. "Wit' erm's like that, i be bettin' ye'd be a fine caber tosser."

"What's a caber?" Footloose asked.

"It's a sport here where they run with wooden cylinders and throw them." Shipwreck answered. "I've seen it while on shoreleave once in '79."

"Sounds hard core, dude. Wanna, like, give it a go?" Footloose asked him.

"Aye, got plenty out back." Fergus replied, and the two Joes grin before looking to Flint, who raises an eyebrow.

After an attempt to politely decline, the crowd watches in amusement the two drag him off. "Wonder what her boyfriend'll look like in a kilt?" Mutt asks aloud.

"Totally, i hear they don't got nuttin under them." Thunder says, making Mutt glance down at himself for a second.

"Something's are best left within one's mind." Spirit said to them.

Pause flashback.

"What, they seriously wear those things with no underwear?" Alice asked, having shown up after her shift was up, traces of grease still on her.

"They sure do, girl; you know, sometimes, my dad would~would make my brothers wear them whenever they would come home drunk~and take photo's of them walking up and down the street." Scarlett says while laughing and smacking the arm of the couch.

"I can picture your brother Brian like that." Simmons said to her.

"Too bad for you, he's uh, kinda gay***." Scarlett said back, making the nurse gasp.

"Is he? Damn." She replied and huffed.

"Anyway, back to my tale." Lady-Jaye said to them.

* * *

Chapter twenty-six. Read and review.

*Well bless me, it's been so long, child.

**Guess which show.

***Made up.


	27. Downtime part twenty part 3

Sit-reps.

* * *

Resume flashback.

She heads to the guest rooms and knocks. "Flint, you in there?"

"Across the hall to the left." She hears from Shipwreck, and turns around.

Once asking if it was ok, she walks in and sees Flint in his "sports wear" with another of her family members with a lesser accent. "How's it, Cous?, He looks more like a real man now, doesn't he?" He asks while Flint does a pose, making her snort.

"That he does, Keith; looking great, Flint." She tells him, then turns to the former. "Can you excuse us for a bit, please?"

"Alright, see you both later." Keith replied.

After he leaves, Lady-Jaye sighs and sits on the bed while he looks down at himself. "Still doesn't fe...There a problem?" Flint asks as he sits next to her.

"Just that i had a short little hi/bye in mind. But uncle Fergus has always been the competitive one, local caber champ 4 years in a row." She tells him.

"Plus the others following us here, i take it?" He asks. "...Your not used to the whole family experience, are you?"

She turns away. "Am too...no, I'm not. I hid it so well around Duke's, but only because it was so small, and we weren't at Gung-Ho's long enough."

"I can't fix it, but maybe i can take your mind off it for a while." He says, then gently rubs her shoulders.

"Guess~your right...A~bit~harder please; damn, this is nice. Wish you could do this forever." She replies, then leaned against him.

"Same here, but I've been wondering something...since you and Quick-Kick got back from...playing Jonah and when you fought Storm Shadow...Good job, by the way." He says next while nipping at her neck, and she glances over her shoulder. "You don't suppose you could give me some javelin practice; incase it happens again, i mean?"

"Even when yer alraedy aboot ta handle soomthing long an' thick, me laird?" She asks with a coy expression, and falls back laughing as she sees him grimace at some mental image before they hear a knock.

"The field be raedy fer ye, sair."

Once outside; Flint, Footloose, and Shipwreck are getting the instructions from Fergus, who is also taking part. "Holy crap! You didn't say it would be, like, a whole freaking tree, man." Footloose says to the sailor.

"Vaery simple, it is. All ye 'ave ta do is pick it oop from beloo, take sum staeps forward, and thru it ahead of ye." Fergus says to the Joe trio.

"Oh...ready when you are, Mr. Fungus." Footloose replied while giving a thumbs up.

"Fergus!"

Once the four get to the starting line, Wild Bill turns to the others and takes his hat off. "Any a' ya fellers gonna place yer bets on da winner?, 15 from me for Footloose."

"Him?, Your nuts; I'll give 15 for Flint." Thunder says.

"18 for Footloose." Mutt says.

"Not gonna bother, Fergus'll win." Keith says.

"Abstain." Spirit adds.

"More fer us then, 20 says Flint." Cutter says.

"Ditto." Bazooka says.

"Hey, what about me?!" Shipwreck asks them.

"Awk, 45 for my sailor...to need a doctor." Polly says while on Duke's shoulder.

"...How's about i send ya to a mortician, ya pillow stuffer!" Shipwreck said, after a growl.

Once the starting gun is fired, the four are off. Fergus gets a good lead at 6 paces until Shipwreck, who was behind, loses his balance and his log topples infront of the Scot, making his log fall on his left arm and Shipwreck's right foot. As for Flint and Footloose, the latter makes it 7 paces and tosses, sending it three feet, whereas the former makes it 8 paces and tosses his log five and a half.

"There ye are folks, tha winner is Flint, by 8 paces!" The announcer says, and the crowd picks Flint up over their heads.

"Way to go, old buddy!" Duke tells him, being one of the holders.

"Same here, i knew you'd pu-whoa!" Lady-Jaye says, while patting his leg, only for Flint to ask to be lowered and picks her up bridal style.

End flashback.

"Must have been great, brownie." Haruna said, and the other girls nod.

"Hope i can get a guy like that, someday." Simmons said next.

"Anything else happen?" Scarlett asked.

"After that, we talked some more, had desert, Junkyard whizzed on a stuffed bobcat, and we headed for the port." Lady-Jaye told them after shaking her head.

* * *

Outside the base, Snake-Eyes is stargazing when dodges an arrow with a paper wrapped around it. He opens it and reads: I have been informed of your four-legged companion's passing. Most unfortunate. He looks to his right and sees a figure outside the fence, he goes as close as he can and bows; he knows instinctively that the bowman did so as well.

* * *

Chapter twenty-seven. Read and review.


	28. The Joe-lympics

Sit-reps.

Disclaimer: Skymaster23 has no connection to the show Family Ties.

* * *

Following the story, the girls were watching an episode of "Family Ties" when they hear an announcement on the intercom. "Attention; Scarlett, Cover-Girl, and Lady-Jaye, report to da P.T. course for inspection, rait naw!"

The three look to each other and head to the elevator, which an exhausted Airtight and Blowtorch walk out of. "Oh, heard ye been ta tha ald cantry, Lady-Jaye; how was it there?"

"I'll tell you later, charaid*; we got a date with some obstacles." She tells the latter.

"Watch yourselves, i think he's rabid!" Airtight warns as the door closes, referring to Beachhead.

After Cover-Girl pressed the down button, Lady-Jaye turns to her and Scarlett. "This guy really not just all talk?"

"If only. He's a real ball buster, even for those who don't have any." Scarlett says first.

"Picture Stalker, combined with Flint; then picture him smelling like used gym shorts." Cover-Girl said after, and she and Scarlett laugh as Lady-Jaye blanches at the thought.

"Thanks a lot, now I can't look at Flint the same way again!" She tells the two redheads, who glance at each other and smirk.

"In his uniform, or birthday suit?"

"...Shut up before i turn you into pies!"

"Other than that, make sure not to call him sir...he ain't no damn sir." Scarlett says, finishing in an exaggerated southern accent.

After the trio exit the elevator, they pass a room, inside are three Green-shirts, two of which having been among the Blue-shirts captured by Gung-Ho's clan after the exploding crystal ordeal, are holding camera equipment. "They're gone, Fardie, back to work." One peeking out the door says.

The other two set the stuff up and start. "And we're back with the second half of today's Gr.I.T., for those just tuning in, I'm Cpl. Fardie."

"And I'm Sgt. Davis; what have we got next, Don?"

"Well, Brian; lets switch over to our newest G.S. and hidden camera man, Sgt. Nash, for the latest sports news."

The scene switches to a chest-height view of the P.T. course where we see the three women infront, and Beachhead to the left. "Atten-hut!, We're gonna start dis like ah did wit' da men; name and rank in alphabetical ordeh." He says to them, and they sound off in professional stance.

"Cover-Girl, Specialist E-4!"

"Lady-Jaye, Staff Sergeant E-6!"

"Scarlett, Sergeant E-5!"

"Did ah or did ah not tell yah before to stop prancing around in that gad damned abomination yuh call a uniform, Scarlett, Sergeant E-5?!" Beachhead yelled as he examined her from head to toe.

"Yes you did, Drill Sergeant!"

"Then whut the hell are yah doin' still in dat ugly thang?!"

"Because it prevents the enemy from hearing me before it's too late, Drill Sergeant!"

"And does it work?!"

"Yes it does, Drill Sergeant!"

"Outstanding, keep it up."

Beachhead turns to Lady-Jaye next and points at her after looking at both of her arms. "You, Muddylocks; heard yuh shot down da enemy leadeh once...dat true?" He asks.

"Yes, Drill Sergeant, my second mission for G.I. Joe, Drill Sergeant!"

"Wut if ah don't believe yuh?"

"Permission to prove it, Drill Sergeant?"

Beachhead pauses then motions for Nash to get a shooting target. "Granted."

After Nash gets back from placing it a dozen yards away, Lady-Jaye takes a basic javelin, removed a glove, and licked her thumb to test the breeze. She then takes a stance and tosses it at the target. While Beachhead walks over to check the result, we return to the "studio". "Nash, zoom in please...Yo Joe; do you see that, boys 'n girls, chalk up another for Lady-Jaye."

"She's not just a pretty face, that's fo...Oh, look like Beachhead's done finding that out, Don." Green-shirt Davis says as the scene switches back outside.

"Alrait lady, yuh convinced me. Next subject; why yuh got them sleeve's all rolled up, yuh think this is a damned tannin' salon?!"

"No i don't, Beachhead, Command Sergeant Major E-9!" She says to him.

"Did ah ask yah fer yah infohmason gatha'en skills?!" He asks, hiding his being impressed at that as well.

"No, Drill Sergeant!"

"Then lower 'em, drop an' give me 20, anseh question one, without tawlken' back!"

"It's to keep them from getting caught on debris, which happened on my first mission for G.I. Joe, Drill Sergeant!" She said as she rubbed her sore arms.

"En ah suppose yah had da same problem with yuh top button?!"

"No, Drill Sergeant!, It's for misdirection, Drill Sergeant!"

"Well, since ah aint one of da fang gang, yuh can get dat top button done up, got it!"

Next, he turns to Cover-Girl.

"Zip up dat jacket, barbie doll, and get them boots shined!" He shouts. "Alrait, inspection oveh."

"Wait, that's it?, What makes you so special?" Lady-Jaye asks her.

"Ah ain't no damn idjit, yuh don't piss owf someone whose sidearm has a motah in it, dats why." Beachhead tells her instead. "Next, y'all gonna run da obstacle course; any bitchin 'bout broken nails will mean 10 push ups, any 'bout yuh unda'garb will mean 20; yuh got dat!"

"We get that, Drill Sergeant!"

"Then get movin, Janes!"

"Yo Joe!"

The three start running to the obstacles, Scarlett in the lead over the tire steps and the balance beams, while Cover-Girl passed her and Lady-Jaye over the climbing wall, and through the swamp water trench. "How the...hell's she abl-" Lady-Jaye was asking as she notices a frog on her shoulder and shrieks as she falls back in the water. "Stupid frog, they give me the creeps!**"

"Wut'r yah stoppin' for? Get yuh ass movin'!" Beachhead yells into a megaphone, and she shakes her head before running over to the barbedwire crawl, followed by the climbing net, and rappelling ropes to the finish line.

"En' stop. Taim for Scarlett: 8min, 41secs. Cover-Girl, yuh got 8min, 47secs. Lady-Jaye, yuh took 9min, 30secs; know wut dat means?" He asks her with narrowed eyes.

"Do it all over." She replied as she rolled her eyes.

"Don't yuh sigh at dat, woman; yuh gonna do so en' laik it!" He yelled as she ran back to start.

Back in the room, the Green-shirt hosts look on. "And that ends the sports segment, ladies and g-Uh-oh." Fardie says before the door opens to show Duke, Pvt. Lavigne, and Order.

"Good job, boy." Lavigne says to the K9 while Duke ignores them and heads to the two anchormen and folds his arms.

"That's right, soldier; now how about we start your week-long cooking segment; you too, Wade." He says turning to the cameraman. "Pvt., go get Nash, please."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Chapter twenty-eight. Read and review.

*Pal in Gaelic.

**Made up.


	29. Tech support part one

Sit-reps.

* * *

3 days later, in another part of the US, we see two men; one with binoculars is watching some teenage girls drive off, and head to the door of their house. After placing a device over the keyhole, he opens it and goes to a phone. "Get me Mr. Raymond...Techrat and Zipper here, we're in."

"Wonderful, now find that machine and download it's memory."

A while later, the girls return, and one heads to her room to practice. A few seconds later, the other three hear a short scream. "Jer'!"/"Sis, what's wr...!" Aja and Kimber ask before seeing a jagged...something on the floor.

"Haha; nice look, Jem-casso!" Aja says to her.

"It's not funny, i twisted my ankle when i fell!, Ugh, someone broke in and messed up the programming." Jericca replies.

"How do we fix it-the program, i mean." Shana asked.

"I'll have to call someone, need a hand getting downstairs."

* * *

Half a minute later, at Joe H.Q., Flash is working on a S.H.A.R.C.'s sonar system when the phone on the wall rings. "Breaker to Flash, you have a call from a Miss Benton."

* * *

Chapter twenty-nine. Read and review.


	30. Worlds Without End part 1

Sit-reps.

* * *

Cutter arrives at the train station, and heads to the security office. "Pardon me, but need youse guys to rewind the footage a bit."

"On whose authority?" The guard chief asks him.

"Washington's; I'm with G.I. Joe, mac." Cutter tells him, and shows his I.D.

"Oh, um, go-go ahead, sir."

A while later, they see Dr. Renault and General Wagstaff walk out of a door. "There; where's that, chief?"

"That's supply room 5, let me get the manager. Berger, get this hallway sealed off."

They head over to the room, and the civilians are escorted out of the hallway before the chief opens it to find a hole in the floor, the Dr. missing, and the General dead. "Oh, Jesus; if they're dead, then who walked out?" The manager asks while the chief tells 'Berger' to call a mortician.

"That's classified; I'm gonna leave this to you, gotta call it in to my superior." Cutter replies as he heads for the V.A.M.P. that was in the W.H.A.L.E. "Cutter to Joe Leader, Gen. Wagstaff's dead, and the Dr.'s been taken hostage. Over." He says into the radio, but gets no reply.

"...Cutter to Joe Leader, do you copy?" He says again. "Cutter to Clutch, come in...Grunt...Airtight?; Can anyone hear me?" After no reply, he mumbles and switches the frequency. "Cutter to Breaker, just lost contact with Flint and his team; headed back to the railway bridge. Over and out."

* * *

Once he returns, he sees the bridge gone and replaced by broken glass. "What the shit?" He asks himself as he gets out and sees two gloved boots sticking out, thinking its Airtight, he runs back to the hovercraft for a shovel. "Just a sec, buddy, I'll..." He tells himself as he sees that it's Copperhead's body, and heads for the hovercraft again. "Duke, this is Cutter, come in please."

"Duke here, you find them?"

"Negative, just Copperhead; better get a bodybag for him. I count 8 glass shards, three of which are in his neck."

"...What do you mean glass?"

"That transmuter of theirs must have gone off, cause the whole bridge is g-Hold on...crap, Duke, Cobra Moray on radar; probably here to pick their guy up, so step on it." Once he puts the handset back, he heads topside and shoots one Rattler down before diving off as they return fire, destroying the hovercraft. When he gets to the shore, he kneels and puts his hands behind his head while the Dreadnoks and some Blue-shirts walk up to him.

"Alright Joey, ya git one chance ta explain yahself before we pamp ya full a' lead." Torch tells him as he grabs him by the throat and points to Copperhead's body.

"He...he was dead when i...got here, must have...been from the collapse." Cutter replies, when able to.

"A lakly story." Ripper says after Torch drops the Joe, then both kick him; one in the gut, the other in the face.

"We found the M.T.G. and the blueprints in the pile over there; but no other bodies aside from Copperhead's, just some shards with traces of blood on them." One Blue-shirt reports. The Dreadnoks looks at each other before

"None?, But there were 8 of them." Cutter says, and spits some blood out, but the trooper shrugs before they hear some S.H.A.R.C's and a W.H.A.L.E. approach.

"Nobody move; Doc, go check him out." Duke orders as he, Doc, Cover-Girl, Stalker, Heavy Metal, and Shipwreck surround them.

"How bad is he, Doc?" Heavy Metal asks as he turned his head while still watching the Cobra troops.

"He's fine; just beat up a little."

"Right; now for the rest of you, where's Flint and the rest?" Duke asks the enemy operatives.

"We dunno; some of the glass has blood on it, but only enough to indicate scratches." The Blue-shirt from before tells him.

"Doc, check and verify." Duke ordered, then spoke to the trooper. "Go take the body and leave."

"You're not seriously gonna let them get away with killing our guys, are you?!" Cover-Girl asks him in a shout.

"Copperhead is the only one confirmed dead, so we can't hold them accountable for anything; besides, we have the Transmuter and the blueprints." Duke explained as Heavy Metal holds them up.

"So what'll we do?" Shipwreck asks him.

"I want you, Heavy Metal, and Cover-Girl to go back to the train station, see where that tunnel Cutter mentioned leads, the rest of us will wait for our divers."

"Alright, let's get a move on, you two." Shipwreck replied.

"Yo Joe!" The other two say along with him.

* * *

An hour and 16 minutes later.

"Ah, it's hopeless Duke, we're not going to find them; alive at any rate." Doc says.

After being proven wrong, and hearing Flint and Lady-Jaye's vague answer, Doc goes to get some blankets so they can dry off. Once they all get back to headquarters, what's left of Flint's team is with Duke, Col. Sharp, and Gen. Abernathy in the briefing room. "Let's hear it, Flint, start from the beginning." Duke asks him.

* * *

Chapter thirty. Read and review.


	31. Worlds Without End part 2

Sit-reps.

Will be slightly A.U.

* * *

Flint and the three tell each other about what happened after the bridge collapse. "Copperhead died?, Wonder how his body managed to avoid coming with?" He asks them.

"Who knows, maybe whatever sent you only worked on the living?" Col. Sharp asked in reply.

"Have to ask Blackstone about that. What about that casualty list you mentioned, the one that called me "Afterburner"?" Gen. Abernathy asked next.

"Well sir, it's like this..." Flint starts.

Flashback.

After Lady-Jaye tosses her "Fred" javelin, the men head to the wall and each sets a grenade on the ground, pull the pins, and run as fast as they can before they go off. "Good, it worked...lets move." Flint says, and they make their way in, where Clutch checks the roster.

"Gen. Abernathy, and that Metzger guy were Joes here?" Grunt asks as he reads it.

"Forrest, MacBride, Lavigne, and Morelli too." Lady-Jaye says next.

"Does it say how, Clutch?" Flint asks.

"Wait; like, how come Quick-Kick ain't on here?" Footloose asks.

"Not sure, but according to this, it all went south after Spark's signal tracker blew up on him when he was making it and got a piece in the jugular during that stuff with the cloaking device." Clutch answered. "For example, when Scarlett went after that safe house, it...should i show the report?"

"That long ago?, No, i can guess that it didn't go the way it did in our world. Have that file deleted." Flint ordered, and glanced to Lady-Jaye, who looked pale. "You thinking about it?"

"About my friend being-did "that" happen to any of the other girls?" She asks him and Clutch.

"Not sure; wait, this says you were executed by the Baroness in Czechoslovakia!" He says, as everyone looks at her as she snarled, only for Flint to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Slow down there Lady-Jaye, odds are this Baroness didn't have that run-in with Rodriguez and Blais."

"...God, i hope your right...If I'm dead...che-check the file's on "us"." She tells him.

Pause flashback.

"You claim the last of the security footage showed me in charge, what of you and Duke?" Gen. Abernathy asks Flint.

"Duke...the one there died in North Dakota, along with Snow-Job, Heavy Metal, Spirit, and Blowtorch; while that other Flint died with Roadblock, Flash, Recondo, Alpine, and Tollbooth in a failed attempt to knock out the Mackinaw bridge. Stall and Rodriguez, who were dubbed Bombstrike and Mount Up*, were there too." He replied.

"And what of the vehicles?, You said this started because of the oil denial, right?" Col. Sharp asks him.

"It did; the records stated that Cobra had them refueled for the victory parade after they ransacked that H.Q." He replied. "For some reason or another, they left some barrels behind, so we used them before we took the Skyhawks."

"Probably not expecting anyone to return like you did." Duke said to him. "What about the other organization's, like the Oktober Guard, or the Action Force?"

"The last records mentioned that the latter was gone just like "us", while the former was just a few hold-outs across the remains of the Soviet Union, but it wasn't until later that we found they were gone too." Flint told him.

"Even Brekhov?"

"I think we heard that name a while after getting away from the Keystone Kops back there, who's wa-i mean, is he?"

"The Soviet's version of me, according to what Scarlett found when she did some undercover work over there back before the M.A.S.S. incident." Duke explained, getting a nod.

"Anyway, after Zartan and his four-wheeler blew up, we eventually encounter that world's Baroness; which is when things go from completely hellish to kinda weird."

Resume flashback.

"Care ta explain some things, Grunt?" Barbecue asks.

"Yeah, like why you and Steeler aren't at headquarters, and why are you wit..." Flint starts to ask, before staring at the other Baroness. "You forget your specs, lady?"

"My vhat?"

"Your glasses."

"You must be thinking of the other one; I've never vorn any."

Flint looks to Airtight and Barbecue, who both shrug, then glances between the other three. "O...kay; what was all that you just told Destro about?"

"She says chrome dome back there, and The Commander have been at each other's throats ever since the latter first set foot in The Oval Office." Steeler tells him.

"And why would she help us after all she did, after killing the Lady-Jaye from here." Flint asks, not caring that he was referring to one he never knew.

"That was to keep her from being caught by Destro; he vould have either done so himself, or given her to his troops for their sick amusement." She tells him as she clenches her fists.

"Yeah, turns out she defected after Duke arrested her when she got caught infiltrating "us" to find out about that satellite, the one those ape-men found. She and the other Steeler hit it off after that." Grunt added, causing Flint, Barbecue, and Airtight all to glance at each other.

"Where is Lady-Jaye and them anyway?" Barbecue asks.

"She, Clutch, and Footloose vere caught by Destro earlier, just as you vere." The Baroness tells him, and Flint asks if she means the energy net. "Yes, it's called the parasite matrix."

"It because that old Pyramid scheme failed?" Airtight asks her.

"Yes, he came up vith it after realizing it's having too many components vas the reason it failed after Control Cube three vas stopped." She explains, and continued after getting blank stares. "The location Major Bludd picked gave vay on him and his men vhen they vere raising it up." She finished before Steeler added that not only was the oil denial plot made a year earlier, but the Quick-Kick from here probably froze to death at The Mountain of Glass, since he never met Alpine and Bazooka because they never separated from Snow-Job's team.

"A shame, but there's no time to mourn; you know where Lady-Jaye and the other two are being held?" Flint asks the Baroness, who leads them outside to a H.I.S.S.

"So vhat is the Cobra on your side like?" She asks him after climbing in to the turret.

"Mostly broke after we defeated a metal sea-monster they made. After the cloaking device, we've seen them try to use lava, giant fruits & veggies, syntho...clones of some higher-ups, even ghosts against us." Flint tells her.

After leaving the house, the last three Joes see Flint and the Baroness on the tank waving at them, and Lady-Jaye raises an eyebrow. "What the hell?"

"Hop on, I'll explain everything on the way to the proving grounds.; Uh-oh, what's going on over there?" Flint asks her, seeing a company of Blue-shirts lowering their weapons while another led by Destro approaches them.

"Not much, just took out The Commander again; permanently this time." Lady-Jaye replied as the H.I.S.S. drives off. The Baroness ask what she means, but she only sneers.

"I know what you're thinking, but i had to shoot the other you; had i not, she vould have vished she had died so painlessly. You must believe, i still have never forgiven myself for it." The Baroness tells her, then shows her wrist, which has scars, the sight of which causes everyone except for Grunt and Steeler to cringe.

"Oh my god...You really mean it." Lady-Jaye says, and glances down in shame. "I-"

"I know; I as vell, Alison." The Baroness replied as she leans over and hugs her.

Pause flashback.

"So, what happened to that world's Cobra Commander, son?" Gen. Abernathy asks Flint, who smirked as he continued.

Resume flashback.

"After knocking him into the wall, Footloose decided it was a good enough time to see what he looked like under that thing." Lady-Jaye tells them.

"Atta girl, so what does he look like?" Flint asked as he patted her on the back.

"Get this, he's~he's some half bald guy, man." Footloose said while chuckling.

"Yeah; bad comb over, and big nerd glasses. You'd never guess someone with that kinda mug would be capable of this." Clutch added.

"Really, so why were his troops surrendering?" Airtight asks her.

"After the reveal, we made the decision to finish him off, so i-." Lady-Jaye says, and runs her thumb across her throat with a sound effect.

"Ah, did you have to do that?" Steeler asks her.

"Huh, what i do?" She asks him.

"We just got Destro to think tin face was gonna double cross him." Grunt explains.

"...Aw, damnú air!" She shouts as she pounds her thigh.

"What're you swearing at me for?"

"No, no, that was to myself, Grunt."

"Oh."

End flashback.

"And after that, Steeler, Clutch, and Grunt made the decision to stay behind." Flint tells them.

"I see; did you ever find who the two remaining resistance members were?" Col. Sharp asks him.

"Not until we got to the portal; she said one was called Peregrine, and the other was Kōun'na kage*." Flint told him.

"And this portal was the same that brought you there?" Duke asks next.

"Appar...i sure hope it was." Flint replied as he blanches and glances at them nervously.

"Sorry, but did you ever find out where it came from?"

"No, according to Lady-Jaye, the other Cobra Commander didn't believe the explanation of how we could "come back from the dead", so it wasn't from that side."

* * *

While they were pondering the event; on the other side of the world in a city hidden under an icy dome, several small grey skinned beings were in a room watching a hologram of the four men being projected by a metallic being with five violet fins on it's oversized, bulbous head and four green tendril arms. "And that, class, is how they deal with dimensional displacement. Any questions?" It asks them.

* * *

Chapter thirty-one. Read and review.

*Fortunate shadow.


	32. Post-op part two

Sit-reps.

Disclaimer: Skymaster23 does not condone violence towards women.

* * *

After dismissing Flint, the three men discuss the events.

"What do you think, sirs?" Duke asks his superiors, who glance at each other.

"Alternate universes...before Cobra first showed up, i would have just thought this was just them being out of it a bit from when they fell, but now..." Col. Sharp says to himself.

"Let's not think too much about that, might not be pretty afterwards." Gen. Abernathy tells him, then sighs. "We also need to do something about the three we lost, since we have no protocol for Joes lost in other dimensions."

Duke nods and puts a hand on his chin. "We could get stand-ins, but first we'd have to find out if Cobra is even aware they're gone." He suggests.

"Sounds good, Duke; get on it." Gen. Abernathy orders, and the three stand up and salute before he and Col. Sharp leave.

Elsewhere in the base, Lady-Jaye enters the intel room. "Hey guys, I'm back." She says, making Scarlett, and Stalker look up and grin.

"Oh, how ya been, girl?" Stalker asks as he pats her shoulder.

"Yeah, heard you took a "detour"; you didn't see me with a goatee did you?" Scarlett asks, only for Lady-Jaye to latch onto her.

"What's wrong, something bad happen over "there"?" Stalker asks again.

"It was awful~it was awful over there, guys; all~all of us, we were de~a~d!" She tells them while lightly sobbing, and Scarlett asks how. "Well, you remember the planetary blackout Cobra caused?"

"With those cubes, what about it?" Stalker asks her.

"Well, it~failed earlier then on our side, so Cobra put together the cloaking device earlier; without oil, we-the other G.I. Joe ended up losing." She explained as she rubbed the tears from her eyes.

"Huh...well, the important thing, Brownie, is it didn't happen here." Scarlett tells her as she strokes her roommates back. "There, there."

Stalker blinks in confusion. "Brownie?"

"...It's a girl thing." Scarlett told him.

"Other than that, how are things here?" Lady-Jaye asks them.

"Well, remember that one doc that Cobra had working with them during the thing with the mind controlled family members; CIA tracked him to Macedonia, only for him to bump himself off." Stalker explained, making her blanch and shake her head.

"Other than that, it's been all quiet. Cobra's still sticking to replacing its funds after that "sea-monster" mess." Scarlett tells her before Duke walked in.

"Need something, Duke?" She asks him.

"Just got word from Sikorsky...Shipwreck and Gung-Ho's teams rescued Dr. Renault, but...they've got some injuries." He replies, and glances at Lady-Jaye a sec.

"How bad?" Stalker asked.

"Cover-Girl...she took a bayonet to th-" Duke says, and is cut off as Lady-Jaye faints.

* * *

Chapter thirty-two. Read and review.


	33. Post traumatic

Sit-reps.

Disclaimer: Skymaster23 does not support violence towards women.

* * *

Enroute to the base infirmary, Duke asks Shipwreck and Gung-Ho what happened. "Goddamn Crim stuck her after we busted the door to the hallway Renault's cell was in, that's what!" Shipwreck growled out.

"Is she going to make it, young man?" Dr. Renault asks, after seeing how bad the young woman in the green uniform had been taking it.

"...Doc, how bad you think?" Duke asked next.

"If I'm right, she took it to the gall bladder...not a vital organ, so the only concern is-Coming through, people!-the blood loss." Doc told them while they pass Tripwire, Quick-Kick, and Snow-Job.

Inside the infirmary, Cutter sees them go by. "Holy god, she still alive?"

"Doc says she's fine, she'll make it." Rock 'n Roll tells him.

While her surgery is underway, Duke asks the two team leaders for more detail. "Well, it awl went down laik dis..." Gung-Ho starts.

Flashback.

After Shipwreck, Cover-Girl, and Heavy Metal exit the tunnel, they see tire tracks leading southwards. Cover-Girl bends down to check them. "These are from a Stinger jeep...who knows how far they took her." She says aloud.

"Calling it in now; Sierra-Whiskey to Hotel Quebec, tunnel led a half mile south to Stinger tracks, we'll need some wheels over here, asap." Shipwreck requested.

"You got 'em, we'll send them your way with some birds." Breaker replied.

After waiting, the trio sees three Dragonfly choppers, two of them carrying A.W.E. Strikers. They land to show Gung-Ho, Alpine, Rock 'n Roll, Mutt & Junkyard, Snake-Eyes, and Bazooka. "Yo Joe! Got yer wheel's, homme. We'll follow yer lead." Gung-Ho tells the trio while the others unhook the vehicles.

"Wait, we're taking those?" Heavy Metal asks, and Gung-Ho asks what the problem is.

"What's a'matter, afraid of a bunch of bullets?; Just ignore him. This way guys, yo joe!" Shipwreck says, and they speed off.

"Have they found Flint's team yet?" Cover-Girl shouts to Gung-Ho.

"Nope; dem divers jes' started lookin' when ah checked ten minutes ago." He replied.

After driving sixteen miles, they spot a round, eight story structure* next to a forest, which they head a third of the way into. "Looks like my nephew's old sand bucket." Shipwreck says.

"Cobra must be running out of ideas." Mutt adds.

"So wut's da plan, Shipwreck?" Gung-Ho asks.

Shipwreck pauses, then nods to himself. "You, Rock, and Bazooka should head closer to the treeline; make a whole lotta noise. The rest of us will go around, Snake-Eyes, you, Mutt & Junkyard get in from ground level; Alpine, we'll follow you to an upper level. Sound good?" He asks, and they all nod.

Gung-Ho and the first three head off toward the enemy base. "When you suppose they put this thing together?" Rock 'n Roll asks.

"Herd ta say, Rock; bout a year, maybe?" He replies.

They see a pair of Blue-shirts on patrol; Gung-Ho looks to Rock 'n Roll. "Silenceh." He says quietly, and the man nods before pulling out a bandana, which he ties around Bazooka's mouth. He then attaches a silencer to "baby" and takes out the two guards, then motions for Bazooka's gag to be removed. "Go fer it." He says.

"Okay." Bazooka replies, and fires at a random spot.

Over with Shipwreck, they watch the base's troops rush out and exchange fire with Gung-Ho's team. "That's our cue, yo joe." He says, and the four run over while Alpine tosses a rope up.

"Ladies first." He says, with a smirk.

"Then get going." Cover-Girl says back.

Once they reach a window, Alpine uses a glass cutter he borrowed from Scarlett, and looks in. "Clear."

"We'll need to find a console for the layout." Shipwreck says, and leads the group right. After checking five rooms with no luck, they come across some Blue-shirts and are about to shoot when one gets a katana through his back, followed by another getting jumped by Junkyard. The trooper falls and is stabbed by Snake-Eyes.

"Good to see ya, find a map to this place?" Cover-Girl asks.

"Yeah, and the cell-block where Dr. Renault is...this way." Mutt tells them, and they follow him to an elevator which they send down, then force the shaft open and have Snake-Eyes sever the cable before they start climbing up.

After going up two floors, they force the door open and and wait by a stairwell for Mutt & and Junkyard. When they finally reach the area, they find the hall blocked off, so they place some C-4 on the door. After knocking it down, they start moving. "Yo J-Look out, ambush!" Shipwreck shouts, as they see nine Crimson Guardsmen waiting for them.

In the ensuing clash, Alpine sees one rushing Cover-Girl, who is stabbed before he can give a warning. "Son of a bitch!" He yells, and follows Shipwreck, who slams into her attacker.

"Didn't your mother tell, you, not, to, hit, girls?!" Shipwreck yells and stabs the C.G. six times before they see him pause.

"What's the matter?" Heavy Metal asks once that was over.

"I-I spoke a bit too soon." Shipwreck replied and pointed to the body that turned out to have been a girl who looked around 19 or 20 before throwing the knife away.

"Ha...had it coming to...to her...freaking bitch." Cover-Girl mumbled.

"Alpine, Heavy Metal...you take her back outside, the rest of us will keep going." Shipwreck orders.

End flashback.

"After that, we found the Dr. being questioned by some bald guy with a monocle, but he fled through a hidden door when Mutt and i kicked our way in." Shipwreck finished.

"...I see. I'll have Stalker and the girls work on finding who this monocle man is. Good work." Duke tells him and Gung-Ho.

* * *

Chapter thirty-three. Read and review.

* This is the first of the smaller Terror Dromes, like in the episode with the time traveling.


	34. Stress disorder

Sit-reps.

Disclaimer: Skymaster23 has no connection to The Outer Limits.

* * *

At the same time the Dragonfly's were landing, Flint is headed to his quarters when he is stopped by Beachhead. "Flint, ah heard yuh jes' gowt back from some "Owter Limits" crap...it true?"

"All of it."

"Yuh find mah name on dat list yah mentioned?"

"We did; seems "you" bought it in the Atlantic with Wild Bill, Torpedo, Short-Fuze, Tripwire, and Zap when the Flagg went down." Flint told him before they hear Breaker on the intercom.

"Breaker to Flint, head to the intel room."

"Wonder what they found?" Flint asks himself as he walks off. He heads to the hall and is knocked into by Lady-Jaye. "You miss me that...much?" He asked, when he notices her struggling with Scarlett.

"Let go...It's happening again...She's gonna die! We're all gonna die! We have to ru-" She yells, and he shakes her, recalling how she had acted at the Enterprise city heli-port.

"Lady-Jaye, stop it! No one is dying!" He tells her as he places her in a calming embrace, and she buries her face in his chest as he motions to Scarlett that she can go. "That's better; now can you tell me what this is about, please."

"Wut's awl da ruckus oveh here?" Beachhead asks as he, Green-shirt Menninger, and Deep-Six walk over.

"It's nothing. As you were." He tells them, and they nod and leave. "...So what's this all about?" He asks her again.

"It~it's Cover-Girl; Duke~he said she'd~been...skewered while rescuing Dr. Renault." She explained while sniffling.

"And you thought of back there." He says aloud.

Flashback.

After going through the casualty list, the Joes wander through the base. Flint sees that the hall to "his and Duke's" offices is mostly gone, so he heads to "his" quarters, which is mostly empty, save for ripped up books, tossed about photo frames, and graffiti. Ignoring the latter, he picks up some of the frames, one being "him and Duke" far infront of the base, while another was of "him" and the rest of "his" generation of Joes after first choosing their uniforms.

He wondered if this world's "Flint and Lady-Jaye" had the same interactions with each other before setting it down. He walks around a bit, then picks up a spray can and throws it out the door, where it bounces off the wall at Lady-Jaye's feet.

"Not your favorite color, i take it?" She tells him after picking it up and heading for where his trash is in their H.Q.

"Not my favorite fucking anything right now, La...Alison." He replied as he sat on the floor. "Being behind enemy lines is one thing, but this?"

"I know, Dashiell, we all do. We just have to find whichever fang breathed butthead brought us here, and pluck his scales till he sends us back." She tells him after sitting down in his lap, and both chuckle before she leaned back into his caress.

"You here to tell me that?" He asks.

"No, just came up before Foot' and Clutch started pissing on a mural of Cobra Commander they found in the war room." She replied, making both of them chuckle half-heartedly.

"...Anything else?" He asked next.

"No; let's just stay like this for a bit." She said quietly, and looked back at him. "Remember what you said to me after that thing with the big germ?, Say it again, Dash, need something to distract me."

"From what?"

"...From if I'm wrong, and there is no one who can-"

"Ah-Ah, don't finish that, we will get home; where we can bend the regs till the cows come home." He says, and hugs her doubts away.

"I'd like that." She tells him before shuffling around and resting her head against his chest.

End flashback.

The two head to the infirmary. "Doc; how's Cover-Girl?" Lady-Jaye asked.

"She's still getting her stitches, but all's well. You can visit when she wakes up." He tells her with a warm smile.

"There, you see. We can get a bite in the mess while waiting for that." Flint said, and they leave Doc to his paperwork.

* * *

Chapter thirty-four. Read and review.


	35. Downtime part twenty-one

Sit-reps.

* * *

In the infirmary post-op, Cover-Girl twists about in the bed before opening her eyes, she sees nurse Collins leaning over Ace, who notices her moving. "Terry, look who's up." He tells Collins, who looks back and turns to his right.

"Doc, she's up."

"Great, I'll let them know." After hearing that, Cover-Girl asks Collins how long she was out. "Just a day and a half." He told her.

"What's Ace here for, did an airstrike get called in back at that big bucket looking place?" She asks Ace.

"Nah, Beach' thought Indiana was cheating when we and Dubé were playing Blackjack, and i got sent here when i tried to intervene." He replied.

She nods just before some of the guys she was with earlier come in. "Hey there." Says Bazooka.

"See, ah told yuh she'd be up buhfore lunch." Gung-Ho says to Alpine and Heavy Metal just as they hear some clacking and see Junkyard run in and jump on her bed.

"Bleh, heel...al~righ~t, good to see~you too, Junk'." She says as she wipes her face.

After that, the last four of her teammates enter. "There you are; sorry Doc, he got away again." Mutt said.

"Nevermind that, you gave us a scare back then." Shipwreck said, in a serious tone.

"Yep, haven't seen him dat upset since dat thang wit' dem crystal bombs." Gung-Ho tells her.

"...Sorry about that, guys." She tells them, then notices something behind the sailors back. "Are thos-"

Before she can finish, Scarlett, Lady-Jaye, and Flint walk in.

"I see a Peach ready to roll off soon." Scarlett says to her.

"Ahem; as i was sayin', we all got these fer ya." Shipwreck says, reverting to his normal tone as he hands some flowers to her.

"Awk; yeah right, "we"." Polly sang out.

"Aw shut it, bird." He says, and everyone starts laughing.

* * *

Chapter thirty-five. Read and review.


	36. Downtime part twenty-two

Sit-reps.

Disclaimer: Skymaster23 has no connection to the makers of the Pogo Ball, but a neighbor of mine had one a long time ago.

* * *

After leaving Cover-Girl in post-op, the other two Joe women returned to the intel room, and Scarlett knocks. "Password." Stalker says from inside.

"Simon says; throw 391 nickels on a Pogo Ball." She says, and the door opens.

"Any new snake speak?" Lady-Jaye asks him as he heads back to the computer.

"Just more about being unrelated to the Challenger disaster." He says.

"No indication they know about our missing guys?" She asks next as she picks up some papers on the table.

"From what Breaker mentioned, they don't even know you and the rest are back yet." He replies.

"Too busy with us taking Renault, and that base of theirs?" Scarlett asked, and he nods.

"How about that "monocle man" Duke told us about?" She asks again as she leans over his left shoulder.

"Just that he's European; MI6 says he's German, but not sure which half." He replies, then the two jump in surprise when a rock falls behind his right from above.

"Holy sh-Beachhead!"

"What are you doing up there?!"

"An' yer dead, y'all should 'ave been watchin' yer backsides." Beachhead says, as he lowers a rope and slides down.

"This is a restricted area, dammit!" Stalker shouts to him as he places him in an arm bar.

"Yuh think eneh snake's gunna give a shit 'bout dat?" Beachhead scoffed as he struggled. "Now, turn me loose, dats an order."

"We change the password every twelve hours, Beachhead." Lady-Jaye says as she folds her arms.

"Dat's awl yah gat?" He asks, then they hear a knock. "Paz'werd!" Beachhead says, and the three glare at him.

"Simon says med check." They hear from Simmons. "Med team's exempt from the cycling, for obvious reasons." She says to Beachhead as Scarlett lets her in. "And you should be back doing your physical therapy."

"Ah don't need no damn therapy!" He shouts as she and another medic escort him out.

"How far along is he now?" Lady-Jaye asks, and Simmons stops to say he's about 88% healed.

"Hear dat; jes' half a year buhfore ahm runnin' dis place!" Beachhead says to all of them.

"Yay." The three of them say in a deadpan tone before Scarlett goes to shut and lock the door.

* * *

Chapter forty-five. Read and review.


	37. Downtime part twenty-three

Sit-reps.

* * *

A few weeks later.

Tripwire, Frostbite, Roadblock, and Short-Fuze were heading to the base entrance after a supply run when Frostbite notices someone outside a third floor window on a scaffold, and points him out to the others. "What's the weather like up there, Air'?" Roadblock asks Airtight, who is running a squeegee across the window.

"Who and how?" Short-Fuze asked next, he and the other three already knowing the "why" part.

"Beachhead; after those physicals the other day, i got the idea to give him some **new** **furniture.** " Airtight tells them while wiping the squeegee.

Flashback to four hours ago.

Beachhead is entering his office, which was across the hall from Flint's, and stops. He notices something is off, but dismisses it with a grumble after seeing none of those somethings missing, so he sits down at his desk. After a minute of writing the roster for tomorrows P.T., he heads to the pencil sharpener on his file cabinet, only to finally notice when he sees that the top of it is at chin level, when it should be at the base of his neck. "Wut da hell?" He asks, then turns to his desk, which on closer inspection, is both a few inches bigger, and that the phone on it is facing a bit more to the right.

After a short growl, he heads to Duke's office. "-other of mine got another warning fro...Something wrong, Beachhead?" Duke asks, having been telling the other members of the "top Four" about another letter from Vince's base commander.

"Some bahstad messed wit' mah owffice, ah want da M.P.'s here naw ta find da sum'bitch!" He yelled.

Duke raises a hand up before speaking again. "Before we do that, what exactly are you referring too?" After Beachhead explains, and Scarlett and Lady-Jaye stop laughing about it, Duke calls the base's security office. A few minutes later, one of them shows up. "Pvt. Callaway, I want you and Sgt. Snuffles to-" Duke starts to say before he is interrupted.

"Sgt...Snuffles?" Beachhead asks aloud, before looking back and forth between him and the dog. "Dat da best yuh could come up with?"

"We, uh, we ran out of names." Duke told him while looking away sheepishly. After the Sgt. sniffed around, he leads his handler to the elevator and down to the lab. "Figured as much." Duke says, before calling Airtight over.

End flashback.

"And after that, i ended up assigned to this for a week." Airtight tells them.

"I assume after this you gonna resume?" Roadblock asks him.

"Definitely; It'll take more than this to shut down Yo Jovial inc." He replies, placing his knuckles on his hips and looking up at nowhere in particular while the other four look to each other and groan.

* * *

Chapter thirty-seven. Read and review.


	38. Downtime part twenty-four

Sit-reps.

* * *

In Duke's office; he, Flint, and Beachhead are speaking. "According to this, he's the best Humvee driver in Minnesota." Flint says, while reading a performance report.

"Ah'll bet...sure cud use some a' dem here though, if yuh ask me." Beachhead tells him as he looks at the sheet.

"I had planned on ordering some, but those A.W.E.'s were cheaper since they had less material on them." Duke explains, making Beachhead scoff.

"Yuh mean dey ain't got no armah on 'em."

"Anyway, how about this guy in the 82nd; saved a dozen of his fellow paratroopers during Operation Urgent Fury*." Flint suggested, to get their attention back to the replacement process.

"He does look a bit like Grunt, doesn't he?" Duke says, while nodding. "And that other one; he can replace Clutch, but he'll have to dye his hair."

"Sounds alrait tuh me."/"Same here." Beachhead and Flint both reply.

Four days later, in the assembly room, the three of them are on stage with three new men. "Joes, we are pleased to finally introduce the replacements for Clutch, Grunt, and Steeler. Be aware, however, that due to the rules set up after the crystal incident, even we are unaware of their real names." Duke says.

* * *

Chapter thirty-eight. Read and review.

*Made up (atleast i think it is)


	39. Downtime part twenty-five

Sit-reps.

Ty to Red Witch for reviews.

Disclaimer: Skymaster23 does not condone violence towards women.

* * *

In an alley in Chicago, Stalker bangs on a door. "What da hell, you wanna ge...Oh, it's you; gimme some skin, brother." A gang member says as he opens it, and the two high-five.

"Hey~hey, Lonzo, where ya been." Another says. "What's popin, soldier boy?"

"Here for receipts." Stalker tells him, and they all go quiet.

"Those are private, man, you know that." A third tells him.

"Says who."

"Says me, asshole." Stalker and the three look left to see a fourth man walking down some steps. "You think you can just keep coming and going like this was some damn bus stop?" The leader asks. Stalker walks up to the man, turns around a bit and turns back, both holding guns at each others face.

* * *

At the same time in a warehouse somewhere in the Ukraine, Scarlett, in plain clothes, is speaking with a contact of hers. "I got your D-drop. What and how much?" The person asks.

"More of a who, Klim." Scarlett says, and opens up a briefcase full of money. "I'm looking for a Dr.; one who knows about **snakes**."

The person nods and shuts the case before a shot is heard, hitting him in the side. "You doubl-" He says before another shot is heard, which just grazes her in the shoulder, but she manages to drag him behind a crate. "Spoke too...soon again."

"Happens...Now who is he?" She asks him as she gets a coin out and flips it; seeing nothing happen, she turns to him.

"His name's Mind-" He says before a third shot rings out, hitting him in the neck. She curses before she runs off for her car, but a fourth shot interrupts her. She looks around again before hearing a window shatter in the distance, and sees what seems to be a person in a red uniform falling.

* * *

A few minutes later, at Joe H.Q., Duke, Flint, and Beachhead are in the monitor room. "-at they've been selling some ingredients to the man we've been looking for, but they never got his name." Stalker, who has a swollen eye and a bruised lip, tells them. "I'll fax it over now."

"Understood; how about you Scarlett?" Duke asks next, as Breaker replaces Stalker with her and Snake-eyes.

"It cost me another contact, but i managed to get a partial name...Mind-something." She replies.

"Well done, I'll pass it on to Lady-Jaye. Hopefully she can get the rest of that name." Duke says, as Breaker gives him the list from Stalker.

* * *

Chapter thirty-nine. Read and review.


	40. Downtime part twenty-six

Sit-reps.

* * *

A few days later, in the briefing room at Joe H.Q., Scarlett and Stalker are informing their three commanders, as well as Col. Sharp, of their findings. "After i was able to...convince them to hand over the receipts, i learned this individual-" Stalker says, motioning to a still image and a sketch of the man Shipwreck's team saw weeks earlier. "Requisitioned around 11 vials of LSD, 6 of Norbaeocystin, and 20 bags of Arecoline."

The four listeners discuss this before the Col. stands up. "Any idea what they intend to do with these substances?"

"Our consensus is that Cobra intends to use it for the questioning of captives." Stalker answered.

Beachhead rolls his eyes. "You have something to add, Sgt.?" Col. Sharp asks him.

"Um...Dat or its fer dem Dreadnoks, sir." He says, holding his hands in front of him.

"What about the buyer himself, Lady-Jaye?" Duke asks next.

She nods as she walks up. "Yes sir; after getting Scarlett's info, i punched in the partial name into the Enquire network, where it eventually became Dr. Mindbender. Following that, i went to Japan again while under the guise of a Croatian tech company employee."

"And what did you find there?" Col. Sharp asks her.

"I'll leave that to my partner during that mission; go ahead, Wire Cutter." She replied before taking a step back for a person in a JGSDF uniform with rolled up sleeves, and two brown wrist bands.

"Thank you, Lady-Jaye." Wire Cutter said, having been practicing English since the Joes last saw her. "We were able to find some orderforms for long range radio transmitter components from Toshiba." She tells them, and the Col. speaks again.

"That'll be problematic. Any idea what they plan to use with them, Miss?" He asks in a less interested tone, making her pause for a moment.

"Something odd about that just now." She whispers to Scarlett, who whispers back.

"He lost both older brothers in the 40's*; took him till the crystal incident to stop acting like that to Quick-Kick."

Wire-Cutter thinks back to stories she heard growing up, and glances over to the Col., nodding slowly to Scarlett before restarting. "We were able to get a recording of the call made to the company." She says, and turns on the tape player. After she turns it off, she continues. "Going through the phone records, we traced it to a booth in Beijing."

"So all we got is this doctor's face and voice." Col. Sharp says.

"Unfortunately, but we'll keep digging, sir." She answers.

"...You do that. What of Cobra Commander, did you ever find a name to go with the face you saw?" He tells her before asking Lady-Jaye.

"Well, that's another snag. The Feds did get a match to a used car salesman, but it seems he drowned himself back when Cobra used that money disintegrator." She tells him, and he frowns.

"Damn; so the Commander from here could be anyone."

Wire Cutter looks between him and Lady-Jaye. "The one from here?, And you saw his face?"

"Long story." Lady-Jaye replied.

* * *

While the Col. is leaving, Wire Cutter is being led around the base by Cover-Girl when the latter blanches. "Eh, lets go this way." She says as Dr. Blackstone walks in their direction.

"How come?" Wire Cutter asks while the tank driver tugs on her arm.

"Because i used to be Bazooka's fiance." Dr. Blackstone says, then offers a hand. "Hajimemashite, I'm Dr. Sally Blackstone." She says, and bows.

"Maji de?" The foreign Joe asks, before clearing her throat and returns the gesture. "I'm Master Sergeant Wire Cutter." She replies. "...You and Bazooka were..."

"Sore wa ni nen mai; We "broke up" after an accident he was in, both of us have moved on since then." She tells her. "Now if you'll excuse me, i have something to inform Duke of."

After she walks past, the two head to the rec room where they see Bazooka watching a wrestling match with Snow-Job, the new Steeler, Airborne, and Greenshirts Blais, Nash, and Stall. "Yehaw, done slammed dat bastard!"/"Nertz."/"Come on; get back up, loser!"/"You might as well pay up now, new guy."/"Like hell, not when he's back up."/"What...shit; quit it, you stay down dammit!"

The two women smirk at each other before Cover-Girl motions for Wire Cutter to go ahead. She tip-toes over to the group and puts a finger to her lips while looking at Quick-Kick, who is at the pool table with Recondo, Short-Fuze, and Barbecue. She reaches into a bag and pulls out a rubber octopus that the two got from Airtight and drops it infront of Bazooka, and he and the rest all jump back in surprise. "Ahhh!"/"Holy shit, watch it!"/"What the fuck?"/"Ow, mah head!"

The rest of the Joes start laughing as the "victims" realize what it was, and who did it. "Huh...Wire Cutter!" Bazooka says as he gives her a bearhug.

"Good to see you too, Bazooka-kun." She says after he puts her down.

"Who's the chick...what?" Steeler asks as he notices the other guys back away.

"This **person** is Wire Cutter, from our Japanese branch. She helped prevent Cobra's plot against a financial conference last year." Cover-Girl tells him while leaning in his face.

"Oh...sorry, i still haven't finished reading all the past mission reports yet." He replies.

* * *

At the same time that was going on, Dr. Blackstone and Tollbooth have entered the monitor room where Duke is. "-idn't find out what they were after?" He asks Bennet, now a Major after the radar test.

"Not a bloody thing, aside from spent rounds...Seems you have yourselves a visitor." Maj. Bennet replies, and Duke turns around.

"You two need something?" He asks them.

"Just a private matter, sir." Tollbooth answered. "Very private."

"...Breaker, call Flint down here to take over for a bit." Duke ordered, and the three head to his office.

"Was that anything we shouldn't have overheard?" Dr. Blackstone asks him.

"Nah, just some snakes intercepted a transport of Egyptian artifacts to a British museum; nothing was taken, so we think it was a diversion for something." Duke replies.

Once in his office, he asks them what they need again. "It's not that we need anything, it's just...you know how I've been leaving work to my staff lately?" Dr. Blackstone asks.

"Yeah, why?" Duke asks slowly.

"It's b...because I'm pregnant, sir." She confessed.

"You're what?!" He shouts, then turns to Tollbooth. "No, don't tell me."

"It's mine, sir. The, uh, **thing** snapped two weeks ago, and-" He tells Duke while looking down at his feet.

"...I just said not to t-I hate to do this, but both of you will need to be discharged for this." Duke grumbled, having to fire two people after replacing three was not making him happy.

"We understand, sir." Both reply.

"And congrats...i guess."

"Thank you, sir."

* * *

Chapter forty. Read and review.

*Made up.


	41. Eau De Cobra

Sit-reps.

* * *

Two months later, at a hidden landing area, 3 A.V.A.C.s are standing around when one notices a figure approaching. "Hey guys, the mummy strikes."

"Hmm, oh, right on time." Another remarked as the first takes the tablet from it and the third holds up a remote.

"Nice work, Ramses, now take five." He says, and presses a button, which causes the figure to melt into grey goo. "Tell H.Q. that we have it."

* * *

Some time later, at Joe H.Q., Breaker turns to his left after hearing Short-Fuze place the phone back. "Gee thanks Short-Fuze...You're a genius, Short-Fuze; ain't that a fine how do ya do?"

"What was he asking, Fuze?"

"The big jerk-face just wanted to know about some fatcat...not sure why, though."

"You do know the camera's have audio receivers on 'em now, don't you?"

"...Aw, crap."

* * *

After that, Duke and Beachhead are listening to Flint's report on the tablet. "Yuh both gat blasted rait through awl dat rock and yer still alive?" Beachhead asks him. "How da hell's dat possible?, Yer head ain't dat hard, is it?"

"Turns out it wasn't actual rock, just plaster." Flint told them after giving a short glare.

Duke speaks up next to break it up. "Plaster?, The whole thing?"

"One of the prisoners said they overdid it when they were excavating, so they covered the damage up." Lady-Jaye added, and the two commanders glance to each other before shrugging.

"And what about the tablet you recovered?" Duke asked her.

"The first instruction manual, i guess. Couldn't translate the whole thing, but it seems the plant Firefly took was an ingredient for a, uh..." She says, while turning away while blushing.

"Something wrong?" Duke asks again, and Flint replies for her.

"It's for a love potion, Duke." He says, while she was doing all she could to not hit him for blurting it out.

"...A wut naw?, Did he jes' say dat?" Beachhead asks aloud.

"We're gonna nab the stuff, right?" Breaker asked next, and Lady-Jaye laughs at the other three men's expressions when he volunteers to be the test subject.

"Sh~Shipwreck said~the same thing."

"Really?, What'd ya tell him?"

"Down, boy."

Duke shakes his head. "Breaker, get Sharp on the line, let him know Cobra is still looking to refill it's coffers." He says, then thinks. "They're getting too used to this mind control shtick."

* * *

When Flint and Lady-Jaye return, they part ways to get their disguises, after a half hour..."Good afternoon, Joes; it's time for another episode of GR.I.T.!" Greenshirt Nash says with a big grin on his face. "Today's special segment is a spring fashion show, live from the hidden camera on Flint's tuxedo button which we have "special access" to."

The scene changes to Flint, who is waiting for Lady-Jaye at the quartermasters area...with around a dozen other Joes. When she does walk out, there's a mix of dropping jaws, cat calls, and wolf whistles, Flint himself being one of the former.

"Looking great, Ali-b!" Alice says, giving her a thumbs up.

"Sure is; give us a twirl baby, woo!" Rock n' Roll says next.

"Shame Mizz Scarlett had ta take off, she'd look right fine in it." Greenshirt Blais says next, since Scarlett was out with Roadblock, Quick-Kick, and Clutch's replacement helping Dusty move his mom to Texas for the country air.

Back at the "studio", "Psst; Cliff, your on." Davis whispered from off camera. "Also your kinda drooling."

"Huh...oh...uh, right!, Looks like we have us a winner folks; you can hear those jaw hitting the floor, can't ya?" Nash says, while wiping his mouth. "Now back to the clea...i mean scene."

Back with Flint.

"I guess this must be how you feel, Peach." Lady-Jaye says to Cover-Girl while pointing a thumb at the crowd.

"Eh, I'm over that crap; and i still think you should have gone with silver." Cover-Girl tells her.

"Silver-smilver, the sky-blue one with the "window" was better looking." Haruna says back while pointing to her chest to indicate where said window was.

Lady-Jaye rolls her eyes as she keeps walking. "How do i look, Flint?" She asks, despite not really needing an answer, she knows exactly what he'd say...if he could speak.

"You look, um, uh; that is to say, uh...er..." He "says", while tugging on his collar, barely noticing the others amusement at how he, of all people, was too stunned for words at the sight of her. If he hadn't already seen what was under that dress, he wouldn't believe that the delicate looking woman infront of him could turn a person into swisscheese without hesitating. Despite it not being up to him, half of him felt she deserved the red carpet instead of just another green uniform.

Before he can snap out of it, Alpine turns to him and blanches. "Uh-oh, that don't look good."

"Something wrong, dude?" Footloose asked as he and the rest watch Alpine put a hand to his mouth before putting it to Flint's forehead.

"Well, lets see...sweaty brow; knotted tongue; being a poetry reading dork...no doubt about it, this man has gaga-itis!" Alpine says, while glancing to Bazooka, who nods and clamps a hand over Flint's mouth.

Lady-Jaye blinks before realizing, and plays along. "Oh~no, not gaga-itis!" She says, with a gasp and buries her face in Cover-Girl's (who was covering her own mouth to vainly hold back her amusement) chest. "Oh no...oh woe is this Joe...Is~there an~anything you can do~o Dr. Alpine?"

Alpine gives a big grin while Flint gives a muffled groan. "I am afraid the only cure is for him to vatch a total knockout go on a cruise with a tall, dark, and handsome(and available) mountain climber, madam." He says, in a fake German accent, only for Frostbite to shove him aside.

"You sure?, Cause i heard it has to be a rugged-looking arcti-whoa!" He tries to say, only for Ripcord to crouch down behind him so Green-shirt Indiana could shove him.

"Your both wrong, it's-" Ripcord tried to say, but is cutoff when Lady-Jaye gives an exaggerated sigh.

"Oh, if only i could; but i would rather my poor Flint be with me...one last time."

While the crowd was still fighting over who gets a chance to go instead of Flint, they are interrupted by a shout from outside. "Gangway, move it." Says Nash, who is running along with Davis from Duke, who apparently caught them using the Joes spy gear again.

* * *

While the divers are boarding, Flint walks up to the transport plane's cockpit. "We good on fuel, Sikorski?"

"Be full up in 8 minutes, sir." He replies.

Flint nods, then asks something else a couple minutes later. "Anything new with you?"

"Well, i got a letter from Harriet* a few days ago; says her son's learning how to talk." Sikorski tells him while smiling. "Got a photo of the little guy, here ya go."

The Green-shirt hands him a photo of Satin, who is holding a toddler, and he looks to his left to Lady-Jaye, who's saying something to Torpedo. For a second, he imagines the blond singer is replaced by her while the tyke's hair turns brown. After shaking his head, he gives the photo back while thinking about how problematic being so close to her is.

"By the way..." Sikorski says, bringing Flint back to reality.

"Hmm, what is it?" He asks.

"I hear you and the gal have some groovy duds on; where'd you get 'em?"

"Oh, I got mine from my dad.; As for Lady-Jaye..." He says, using a scolding tone for the last four words. "...She got it from a magazine that arrived two days after Klaxon died."

"Klaxon?, Who was he?" Sikorski asked next.

"She actually. Her name was Marissa Jordan, and she was a green-shirt who died a few months before you arrived." Flint explained.

"Oh; um, sorry about that, sir."

"That's okay, airman. You didn't know...nothing to apologize for."

* * *

After losing the bottle, the Joe and Cobra troops head to the surface. "Tell me that didn't just happen...did some little bastard that might be on my dinner plate next week just do that to us?" One of the Cobra divers asks aloud, then smacks the water. "Son of a bitch!"

"I dunno about you, but I'm so gonna pretend this was all just a weird dream." Torpedo tells him.

* * *

The next day at an unfinished Cobra base, Destro wakes up and leaves his room only to hear a crunching sound. He looks down to see a line of brown objects, and picks one up before crushing it with a snarl. "Dog biscuits?, Who would dare...He wouldn't?!" He shouts, and runs for the briefing room, where, to his dismay, he sees everyone watching him be thrown off in a net. "Commander, i demand that you destroy that footage immediately!"

"Oh, settle down." Zartan, who has his feet on the table, says. "Or should i say...woof woof?"

While a furious Destro is being restrained by the three Dreadnoks, Scrap Iron, and Major Bludd; Xamot is too focused on a white clad brunette to pay attention to and comes to a decision not even Tomax is aware of.

* * *

Chapter forty-one. Read and review.

*Made up name.


	42. Sit-rep

Sit-reps.

* * *

While that was going on, Recondo is walking around Arlington national cemetery where he sees a brown haired man his age looking at another grave. "What happened to him?" Recondo asks him after reading the headstone, which said: Christopher R. Groen 1960-1982.

"Huh?, Oh. His squad was out on business in Laos, there was a wire on the door." The man says, then holds a hand out. "Brian Forrest."

"Recondo."

The man goes wide-eyed for a second. "You're one of those Joes, aren't ya?"

"I might be." He asks while holding his hands behind his back to hide his reaching for a handgun just in case.

"Did an extraction once in Tanzania with that Lady-Jaye of yours when she was just another spook." Forrest says, making him stop.

"Ah, you don't say." He replied.

"Uh-huh; anyway, who you here for?" Forrest asks him.

"Here for my g...a friend...Klaxon; she died on one of our missions." Recondo replied simply, since Joe missions are classified for any rank under Colonel*.

"Were you close?"

"Classified."

"Got it."

The two part ways with a wave. "G.I. Joe, eh; Think i should?" Forrest asks quietly, then shrugs before giving a salute to the grave and leaves.

Recondo eventually reaches the grave and sits down. "Evening Marissa, care for a story or two?"

* * *

Final chapter. Read and review.


End file.
